麻豆社

A spiritual comment and prayer to begin the day with the Rt Rev Paul Mason.

Good morning.

鈥淚rrational, credulous, people who invent imaginary friends鈥�. I totally get why that might be said of people of faith.

鈥淲here鈥檚 the scientific proof?鈥� comes the challenge.

Fair enough, but we don鈥檛 always seek such proof. Who for example looks for such a guarantee before contemplating marriage or forming a friendship?

We simply don鈥檛 work that way. We learn about people, perhaps do an online search, we hear about them from others, we observe them from a distance鈥�and then we meet them鈥�a personal encounter. They may reveal something personal about themselves, and if we get to know them better, they may tell us more. At some point we have to make a decision: do I believe them鈥�do I trust them? Christian faith is just that. Encounter with a person, rather than a fact to be proven.

There are no scientific proofs or guarantees. We follow our hearts.

A Roman centurion asks Jesus to heal his dying servant. He asks no proof of divine nature, no evidence of miraculous activity, he doesn鈥檛 even ask Jesus to 鈥渆nter under his roof鈥� to attend to the dying servant. 鈥淥nly say the word,鈥� he bids.

He has no doubt heard about Jesus, observed him from a distance, and on the strength of this alone he trusts. He has faith in Christ鈥檚 word.

As wonderful and God-given as scientific knowledge may be, if it were our only means of
knowing, what a barren world we would occupy.

Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
Point out anything in me that offends you,
and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

Amen.

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