It was one of those days. I had decided that I should join the 8 am congregation at The Chapel of Unity and so set off for the Cathedral only to discover that my usual car park was closed for the Olympics - delegates only, no locals allowed. So parking elsewhere, I arrived late and discovered that the morning service was a Roman Catholic Mass and knew therefore that those of us not properly baptised would be denied. I knew they would offer a blessing, but that is scant compensation for worthlessness and as usual I refused - irritated.

I had some time afterwards before I was due at St. Andrew’s to lead Morning Prayers. So I parked at Hearsall Common to ponder this letter. I had been playing with ideas leading on from Summer School and General Assembly about belonging to a United denomination that is struggling to hold differences in tension, manage a budget deficit, create radical welcome and maintain a national identity with the theme “For Christ’s Sake” - so piously said in so many places but which I only hear as a cry of exasperation.

And then my radio switched off. With a heavy heart I turned the ignition - nothing; stranded, powerless. I rang St. Andrew’s to apologise, rang my breakdown - but that was a call too many for my mobile battery. disempowered, unconnected. I walked to a phone box; no handset. I walked to a friends house; no reply and then to St. Andrew’s where at last I could get the help I needed - a phone line and hope of recovery!

All of which was minor irritation in the great scheme but a preaching poet needs inspiration for the muse and this weeks diary quote  from G K Chesterton brought a little more, “Angels can fly because they take themselves lightly” and the result is the poem that follows.

Angels lightly fly from chained gate to bounded heart;

and are denied boarding, refused entry by earthly tensions

.... for Christ’s Sake!

Angels brightly smile at irritation and broken order

and are diverted around closed routes by powerless guides

... for Christ’s Sake!

Angels gaily gather disconnected worthless blessings

and are recoverers of hopeless under-charged unity

... for Christ’s Sake!

Angels carelessly flit from crafted resolution to contested decision

as shapers of beautiful struggling unfixed community

... for Christ’s sake!

Angels delicately disentangle needles from brambles

and so their liberation is tethered to our rooted rootlessness

... for Christ’s sake!

Angels lightly land on 

gateless hearts, irritating order, ungathered hopes

contested crafts, entangled shrubs

and enable cracks where the light sneaks in

.... for Christ’s sake 

Craig Muir

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