So pondering on the last line of my previous post I began thinking about the message I might bring to the people of Masseycroft this afternoon. Masseycroft is a sheltered housing complex where an Ecumenical Service is held every Monday afternoon - they are a thoughtful lively bunch with the host of disabilities that you will find amongst any group aged 70+

Mark 9:42-50

If we were to take this passage literally what a state we would be in. All around us one handed, one eyed, unipeds - hobbling along the Kingdom Road. (Cue Dudley Moore/Peter Cook sketch? "I've got nothing against your right leg. The trouble is - neither have you")

These are harsh words by Jesus - and probably not aimed at everyone in the community, but at those whose sin was abusive and caused others to stumble. Yet it has still had me pondering the nature of such a community. Jesus still wants people to have the chance to follow, to enter the Kingdom of God despite their disabilities - and so as we follow there will be those around us whose journey will be a lot harder than simply putting one foot in front of the other.

It's not the image that the world wants to present. We live in an age obsessed by physical perfection and with the means to  "heal" our natural imperfections. Disability embarrasses us - and yet look at us here - each with our own  disabilities, - age, ill-health, natural lack of certain abilities - affect each of us - some can be seen others can not. 

Yet think about some of the people chosen by God - the ineloquent Moses, the stuttering, depressive Paul, the reluctant Jonah, the outcast Woman at the Well, the barren Sarah, Hannah, Elizabeth et. al. the blind, the lame, the desperate that gathered around Jesus - all called to follow, to hobble, drag, carry, guide, grope, themselves and each other along the Kingdom Road.

We are a disabled community, enabled by God

We are an impure community, who are salted by God

We are a troublesome community, called to live in peace.

Let us follow, hobbling, crawling, carrying, our way along the Kingdom Road