No Pain, No Gain

During August I have done some walking. I did a couple of two day hikes – one along part of the Westweg long distance footpath in the Black Forest from Neuenbürg, via Dobel to Bad Wildbad with a friend I made 40 years ago at a youth week in Taizé – the other hike was with my eldest on the Pilgrims Way in Kent from Charing via Boughton Aluph to Chilham (Rowan continued on to Canterbury). My Fitbit got excited and awarded me a Canyon badge – sadly my watch ran out of battery before I could impress it with the next day’s longer hike. Does anyone else feel good about making your Fitbit happy? (I’m easily pleased).

Sections of the paths in both countries were flat and straight – along rivers or across harvested wheatfields; parts were shingly and other stages steep and rocky. I did stumble a few times. The first day feels a bit gruelling but then on the second you get into your stride.You get over the pain and start to gain: enjoying chatting, seeing new scenery unfold.

In this Sunday’s Gospel reading, Jesus calls Peter a stumbling block (Matthew 16:23). I share a frisson of Peter’s shock. Understandably Peter couldn’t bear to hear his master would suffer and die in Jerusalem. He was so upset he blanked out the third promise of Jesus – which is that he would rise again to new life! (continued below)

SERVICES THIS SUNDAY 3rd SEPTEMBER

10.00am St.Mary’s – Creative Church – Theme: Gospel of John – Craft activity: Weaving

10.30am – All Saints – Holy Communion with Band and Junior Church

6.30pm – St.Mary’s – Choral Evensong

SERVICES AND EVENTS IN THE WEEK AHEAD

Mon 4th Sept – 10.30am – 12noon – All Saints – Tiny Tots

Wed 6th Sept – 9.00am – 9.30am – All Saints – Celtic Prayers

Thurs 7th Sept – 10.00am – St.Mary’s – Holy Communion

Sat 9th Sept – 12noon – 2.00pm – St.Mary’s – Saturday Lunches

SERVICES NEXT SUNDAY 10th SEPTEMBER

08.00am – All Saints – Said Holy Communion

10.00am – St.Mary’s – Patronal Festival with Sung Holy Communion

10.30am – All Saints – Messy Muddy Church for all ages

(continued from above)

Jesus invites Peter (and us) to walk with hope the way of the cross. We have to face hard truths sometimes in order to move through suffering – via remorse and repentance – towards renewal and restoration. My German friend told me about the existence of Stolpersteine. Literally it means ‘stumbling stones’. They are in fact commemorative brass cobblestones set into the pavement near to or outside the original homes of victims of the Holocaust: Jews, Roma, Sinti and people with learning disabilities – so they are never forgotten.

Not all cities are on board with having ‘Stolpersteine‘. For example, the people Munich have been resistant and the meaning behind the term ‘stumbling blocks’ in this context requires a little unpacking. As I see it, the stones have two purposes. Firstly, they are there to restore honour and dignity to people whose lives were treated as expendable. Secondly, they therefore serve as reminders of the shocking reality of man’s inhumanity to man. Whenever people stumble upon one of these stones they are reminded of the pain we are capable of inflicting on each other and of the barriers we put in the way of building just and hospitable societies.

My prayer is that the existence of the German Stolpersteine would renew our resolve to treat every child of God with respect and dignity and play our part in building cities which offer sanctuary. May we seek not get in the way but follow on the way of Jesus.

Revd Diane (assistant curate)