“Only Connect!” is a quote from E.M.Forster’s novel Howard’s End - as well as a game show! Today, we ponder that mandate as we engage with stories from the bible, face the emotional demands of Armistice weekend and continue to grapple with responsible social distancing,
Forster’s character Margaret Schlegel invites us to ‘live in fragments no longer’.
What does this mean?
It applies in many contexts - understanding one another, navigating global communication, bridging gaps in our shared history….
This week, we try to bridge the gaps in chronological time by remembering those who served, who fell and who were left behind in war. It is also Interfaith week, commending harmony between those who honour different religions. Both celebrate comradeship; human connections that survive despite the passage of time in the face of different approaches to spirituality.
Who do you consider a comrade? With whom are you closely connected? Why? Do you have a sense of being ‘disconnected’ from some people? How does this play out in your life?
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The unfamiliar apocalyptic tone of the biblical book Revelation is bracing - not least today’s recommended Chapter 3. Paying attention - or listening - to what is really going on is the underlying theme. Beneath the pressure of daily life is a Divine Call, or a Spirit of Truth, with which we connect if we so choose:
“Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me. ”
At Whirlow, we strive to be a place and to produce resources that create(s) space for this kind of listening, attention and connecting. What tools do you use to achieve this in your life?
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Zacchaeus is the star (or villain!) of another bible reading recommended for today. He was a rich, corrupt tax collector who in Jesus’ day defrauded ordinary people in order to line his purse. He was, justifiably, despised. And he is famous for being short!
When Jesus visited his town, in the story told by gospel-writer Luke, Zacchaeus really wanted to catch a glimpse. He was so curious, he climbed a tree to get above the crowds.
Jesus stopped, connected, called him by name, invited himself as a guest to Zacchaeus’ home. This was more than paying lip service to inclusivity! The encounter brings about a dramatic change. Zacchaeus pledges half of his possessions to the poor, and to those he has cheated promises four times the money. How astonishing!
Creation is, in some permanent sense, lost, fragmented and unconnected. But when we attend to the Call within, engage with truthful guides like Jesus Christ, or connect deeply with other humans in the way he did, we might redeem something of the unity that many call Divine.
What does this mean for you, in a world that continues to be bruised by a pandemic and is, in many ways, chronically fragmented?