"God put a rainbow in the clouds ..."
Last week in school collective worship we explored having the courage to tackle injustice in the world. We reflected on how injustice simply means unfairness but perhaps it is unfairness that’s magnified and has a big impact on people’s lives. Sadly of course there are lots of things that are wrong or unfair in the world today, and in truth as much as we like to look back on the halcyon days of yore, the world has always been rife with injustice.
The easy option of course would be for us to think, ‘that’s not our problem, or there’s nothing we can do’, particularly when people far away are treated badly. I mean, what can we do about the hundreds of desperate people who die in the oceans in search of a safer place to live? What can we do about the illegal trafficking of people or the appalling treatment of asylum seekers? But we are all children of God so wherever there is injustice, wherever people are being treated badly, wherever people are hurting, we all have a responsibility to speak out.
Of course, it takes courage to speak out, to challenge injustice and make a difference. But I encouraged the children saying, “we all have that spark of courage within us and we can all make a difference, however big or small that is”.
I decided that there are others far better placed than me to speak into this issue so told them about one of my heroes and shared a video of her. That hero is the American Civil Rights champion, poet, singer, actress and writer Maya Angelou. You can see the video for yourself on YouTube:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0nYXFletWH4
I am so struck by the words of the 19th Century African American song she sings:
“When it look like the sun wasn’t going shine anymore, God put a rainbow in the cloud.”
God put a rainbow in the cloud! Just think, this is a song of those in slavery. And Angelou said that in whatever she did, she brought everybody who had ever been kind to her, with her because, she said, then “I don’t ever feel I have no help”.
“Be prepared to be a rainbow in somebody else’s cloud and be a blessing to somebody” says Maya Angelou. Being a blessing to somebody is to me the most simple form of what it is to stand up to injustice – being one of the people that is there to help.
It has made me think about how willing I am to be that rainbow, to be that blessing? And what does it mean? Perhaps it is about doing my best to reduce waste and care for the planet so those in poorer countries don’t face climate injustice. Perhaps it is standing with people in the community who are struggling. Perhaps it is about being willing to put my neck on the line and speak out against injustice in the church!
There are so many ways in the day to day to tackle injustice and whilst these things may seem small, they are actually massive because these are the things that really start to make the world a fairer place, and these are the things that are so Christ centred. He who always put his neck on the line to speak out for others.
I’m so glad I used Maya Angelou as my inspiration last week, her words have given me much to think about and I hope they do the same for others too. May we each be a rainbow in somebody else’s cloud and may our church community here in Shaw & Crompton and Thornham be a blessing to those we serve.
With every blessing.
Fr Paul
Paul Writes
"‘The Visit of the Blessed Virgin Mary to Elizabeth’ ..."
Wednesday was the Feast Day of ‘The Visit of the Blessed Virgin Mary to Elizabeth’ which is one of those days in the calendar which inspires me to think deeply about friendship and family. The account of the visit in Luke’s Gospel describes a joy filled meeting and speaks of strong bonds of friendship between the women, women who, as it happens are bound by family relationships, but nonetheless, demonstrate loving friendship and solidarity towards each other.
Elizabeth provides sanctuary for Mary, her young bewildered and pregnant cousin. We hear that Mary went to Elizabeth in haste, no doubt afraid and desperate to escape the prying and judgemental gaze of her neighbours. There were no phones, emails or texts, no Facebook or WhatsApp; Mary will have just arrived unannounced, and Elizabeth is overjoyed to see her – Blessed are you and blessed is the fruit of your womb.
There is no judgement here, just pure and unadulterated love and friendship. Women committed to each other, looking out for one another, being good to one another; and let’s not forget that there was a big age gap between them, Mary was not seeking the love and support of a contemporary, but clearly that didn’t matter. What mattered was that Elizabeth was there for Mary.
This scene is depicted in so many paintings, just google it and see! But for me there is a particular painting by the artist Brother. Mickey McGrath, OSFS, a commission from the Visitation Sisters of Minneapolis called ‘Windsock Visitation’, take a look at it https://www.visitationmonasteryminneapolis.org/2010/06/windsock-visitation-an-invitation-to-respond-to-art/ (the Visitation Sisters website). The picture is full of ‘joie de vivre’ but what is also significant is the inscription on it which says:
“This is the place of our delight and rest”.
The Visitation has also inspired music and poetry and one poem I love is by the Poet Sarah Are, called ‘Joy Like Water’:
Mary went to Elizabeth’s house,
Because that’s what we do when the world falls apart. That’s what we do when the script is flipped,
When the rug is pulled,
When it rains inside.
We go home.
We find friends.
We find love.So, Mary went to Elizabeth’s house,
Harbouring good news that must have felt like water— Something capable of helping her float or pulling her under. And only then,
Only there,
In the presence of a face that looked like love,
Does the word “joy” appear.Mary said, “How can this be?”
The angel said, “Do not be afraid.”
Mary said, “May it be so.”
But when Mary went to Elizabeth’s house and Elizabeth opened the door,
Joy—like a tipped cup of water—
Spilled out everywhere.I imagine that Elizabeth laughed.
I imagine that Mary framed her growing belly.
I imagine that both women pressed palms to stomach when that baby began to kick,
A holy ritual as old as time.
I imagine that God smiled.
And I imagine, that for the first time,
Mary could float.Isn’t it always that way?
I could harbour joy to myself.
I could tuck joyful moments deep into pockets, saving memories of better days for long nights. But when I share my joy with you,
When you open the door,
Joy spills out everywhere,
And it is love that helps me float.
With every fibre of my being, I hope that our churches are that place of sanctuary, where joy like water spills out allowing each one of us to float in love. Where the boundaries of age or gender, sexuality, race and whatever else simply fade away, and where we together are one family that in each other finds the promise of new life in Christ our true place of delight and rest.
Enjoy the summer with every blessing.
Fr Paul.