Sunday, January 18, 2009

Too much riding on Barry's shoulders?

This comes with the normal warning: Yes, there may well not be a God and I may well be completely deluded, I just happen to believe in one, so if you don't like it, read another blog.

It all came home to me at church this morning. Our Rector has very sensibly created two main services on Sundays. The 9-15 is for people who like hymns with "thy" and "thee" in them. The 11 o'clock is for people who like clapping. The 9-15 congregation has a bit of grey hair but still, I would say, quite a lot of vim. The 11 o'clock congregation sometimes includes people with a "coffee to go" in their hands. Nuff said.

For some strange reason I straddle both services. I was brought up on hymns with "thees" and "thys" in them. But I am also a very keen fan of Graham Kendrick. (He wrote "Shine Jesus shine", the anthem, if there is one, for "happy clappy" Christians.)

Indeed, today I attended both services. I don't mention that in order to go into "goody two shoes" overdrive. I had to because of rotas clashing. Ah, yes. The dictatorship of R-O-T-A-S.

(This Chilean wine (Isla Negra - Cabernet Suavignon Red) I am drinking is far too good, by the way - I thought I would mention that by way of a warning. This posting will go downhill from here on in).

Anyway, at the 11 o'clock service something revolutionary happened. A very brave soul proposed that we went into three corners of the church led by a "Moses" carrying an emblem of the subject of our prayer: the local papers, a globe or a first aid kit.

Yes. It sounds very complicated and totally unnecessary but... It worked.

Any road up. I ended up in a corner of the church with someone very bravely acting as "Moses", holding up a globe. I was quite astounded by the very large number of people who also flocked to the globe to pray about world affairs, in preference to praying about local matters or people who are sick.

It was quite a "moist" moment, I have to say. And I don't mean to sound fascetious. I was genuinely moved by the prayers and the sincerity of the gathering. But what moved me most (perhaps even disturbed me a little) was the strength of the hope which is riding on the shoulders of one Barry Obama. (For it is he)

There are many, many people who are devoutly looking to Barack Obama to put things right and, at last, make a world we can at least be a little bit proud of.

All a bit dangerous, actually.

How the heck can a Harvard law graduate fix the globe?

It's not going to happen.

But perhaps the awareness of the hugeness of the challenge is so massive that even if he does a little bit, he'll be praised. Perhaps. One commentator was asked what Obama had to do. His answer was silence. In other words, he thought Obama doesn't have to do much at all because what preceded him was so dire.

I have to believe that having Hilary as Obama's SoS is a major step forward. I am expecting great things from Hilary Clinton as US Secretary of State. Henry Kissinger, eat your heart out!

Oh heck. She's got two "L"s. I always forget. Sorry.

I tend towards the Andrew Rawnsley view, expressed in today's Observer. It's summed up by the title: Don't drizzle your pessimism on Obama's grand parade.

Indeed. And on that note may I say that I am looking forward to attending a little Obama Inauguration party myself. I might even cook something American for the occasion. That would be a first.

No, to hell with it. I am an optimist. Sod it. Obama is great. It's fantastic. Goodbye to the affable tosspot, Bush. Hello to hope.

No comments:

Post a Comment