If today is your Candlemas, do not be sentimental about the candlelight. Some words from a visionary bishop of the past century remind us that the procession to our destiny is a costly one: "We are here as a Church to represent Christ crucified before the world. Because that is so, it may be the will of God that our Church should have its heart broken, and if that were to happen, it wouldn't mean that we were heading for the world's misery, but quite likely pointing the way to deepest joy."
As I look around me that phrase 'our Church should have its heart broken' seems so powerful, something to wrestle with. I don't like it yet it seems to give a perspective on so many of the struggles in the Church. There is great joy in Christian fellowship but there is also a lot of pain - I think this tell us that we have to claim the pain as an authentic part of our experience of the Christ centred life and not treat is as an alien polluting other.
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