The Pointer October 2021
Rector The Rt Rev Darren McCartney 028 4175 3497 suffragan1@gmail.com
The Magazine of the Church of Ireland Parishes of Clonallon & Warrenpoint with Kilbroney in the Diocese of Down and Dromore Many of you may have heard the phrase “It’s not about the destination but the journey” or words to that effect. To be honest, I am somewhat conflicted in my thinking when I hear such a phrase used. Surely the destination is important, hence, one starting out on the path/road in the first place. When leaving the rectory, to go somewhere, the “journey” comes to mind as I look at the beauty of our surroundings and a smile will come to my face. I believe the apostle Paul held the “journey” and the “destination” in tension and we can see something of this in the words he penned in Philippians 1. 21
For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labour for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; 24 but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me. The journey and the destination, for the Christian, the follower of Jesus, the believer, whatever term you prefer to use, ought to be something we think of and something that will shape how we live out our lives, in the here and now. For the Apostle Paul the “desire to depart and be with Christ”, was for him an amazing prospect. I wonder can we say the same? Can we identify with his thinking? Perhaps you have received bad news about your health or that of a friend and loved one, it might be good to reflect on the Apostle Paul’s words as they may bring you some comfort. He longed to be at home with the Lord. “But” it is necessary for you that I remain in the body…. 25 I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith. So, as we remain, we remain with and for a purpose and that ought to be about bringing in our Father’s
Kingdom. Do you ever think of the amount of people who flocked to Jesus? Why do you think this was? Yes, some went because he was able to feed them and others to be healed but people flocked to him. Please commit with me to looking to Jesus, to observe how he lived, how he loved, how he spoke, how he ministered and how he died and rose again and let this above all shape how we live, how we love, how we speak, how we minister, how we might face death. Let us not grow tired, distracted, overwhelmed, or depressed by the lies of the enemy. I remember watching the opening of a movie that started by showing a person, a person loved by God, lying asleep. As the camera pans down, we see that he has vomit on his vest and is lying asleep on the pavement. The camera then moves to follow a woman and her child walking past, in a hurry. They cross the street to a vendor, who is selling hotdogs, the woman is all chat and buys two. The woman and child cross back to the other side of the street and they stop at another shop. The woman tells the child to wait as she pays for the drink. The little boy, holding the two hotdogs, walks back down the street towards the person lying asleep on the pavement and he asks the old man, lying there, if he would like his hotdog. There is the briefest of conversations before the woman comes back, upset, because the wee boy has walked off and uses a derogatory word to describe the man. Taking the boy by the arm she pulls him away. They head back up the street and as we watch, the wee boy pulls away and runs back to the man and again offers him his food. How do we see each other? How do we see each other in church and those within our families and communities? How do we speak to others? Can people hear Christ’s voice when we speak, can they see Christ’s love and concern in our actions, and can they see the hope we have of the resurrection from the dead? I long that all would know the love of God in Christ Jesus. That each of us would know the reality of the wonderful work of the cross in our own lives and those around us. God the Father radically acts and moves towards us, to welcome us. Blessings +Darren