Day 28 remembrance

 Here in Krakow for a short break and we have walked the legs off ourselves.  Yesterday we went into several churches to have a wee look.  Oh my word.  The Catholics certainly know how to put on a good show. 

The first one we went into was blingtastic. There were seven different altars dedicated to seven different saints. As well as numerous side chapels and then a splendiferous main altar.  All the churches we visited were open.  None of them charged any sort of entry fee.  Most were busy with quietly respectful visitors and one was in the middle of a communion service which was carrying on regardless. 

One thing in particular struck me about the differences between the churches I saw yesterday and ours in the UK.  And its about remembrance.

The Catholics have always been pretty good at celebrating their heroes of the faith.  They canonise people who have purportedly lived notable lives and done worthy things.  The seven saints who were each given altars in the first church we visited all had little info stations telling who they were and what they had done.  The one I read was about a chap who had died in the 1700s.   Now whilst I wouldnt go as far as praying to or worshipping our antecedents I do think that we have thrown the baby out with the  bathwater when it comes to remembering those who have gone before us.   I suppose in the Anglican tradition and maybe some others too, the only visible remembrance of people is found on gravestones or memorial stones.  The stones ( occasionally statues or tombs) in churches in the UK are mostly memorialising people who could afford to have a marble slab engraved with their details paid for by their relatives.  Occasionally a church might put up a plaque dedicated to a minister in memory of their service to the congregation.   But I dont think we are very good at celebrating our spiritual forefathers and telling the world about them.

Maybe thats all to the good.  Theres a fine line between esteeming someone and worshipping them I suppose.  Or appreciating them and their contribution rather than the God who was working through them.  We all come from dust and to dust we shall return and in the greater scheme of things the stuff we do in our lifetime isnt that noteworthy.   But.......

The Bible is actually full of memorials.  God telling people to remember what He has done by leaving a pile of stones, building an altar, instituting a festival , having a meal together.  Although those memorials weren't primarily about the people, nonetheless the people were remembered.  The river dried up when the arc went across - but we remember Joshuah because he had the faith to do what God said. In fact, when you think about it the whole of the Bible itself is a memorial to those extraordinary ordinary people who did what God said ( or didnt do what He said.)   Every book written details lives lived with God.  Down through history stories have been told about people who lived and died for their faith.  I suppose in our day and age the internet is bringing stories in ways never before seen to a global audience

So heres a question for you to ponder today.  What spiritual contribution to the world would you like to be remembered for?   If someone were to put up a monument to you in years to come what would it say?    I know that for many years I was massively inspired by Dr Barnardo and I always imagined that one day I might establish some work or other which would rescue the homeless.  I havent done it yet. I'd like to do something lasting with my inheritance when I finally get it - maybe drilling a well in Africa.  Not so that I can have my name on something that the world can admire - you know I dont mean that.  But so that I can feel Ive made a tangible difference and that God has got a return on the massive investment He has made into me.   Off to plan some activities tomorrow which dont involve quite so much walking.  🚶