• Statement on the fire at Notre Dame

    The fire at Notre Dame Cathedral is a tragedy not only for Paris and the people of France but for the world.

    Those who know the building will be unable to see the pictures of the fire without feeling heartbroken.

    So many different things that make up the building are priceless – the medieval roof, the woodwork, the organ, the stained glass, the relics. But this tragedy is more than the loss of them all. It is the loss of the heart of Paris, the loss of a place of pilgrimage and the loss of a place of romance.

    Every day this week, Christians will be reflecting on the heartbreak of Mary, the Mother of Jesus, to whom Notre Dame was dedicated. Every day as we do so, we will be praying for the Paris its people as they face their own heartbreak.

    Notre Dame means Our Lady. Notre Dame doesn’t just belong to Paris, it belongs to us all.

    This was a building that is utterly associated with Paris. But it was an utterly priceless treasure for the world.

    It was truly ours, and this tragedy is our tragedy.

    Our Lady of Paris, pray for us and for all affected locally.

    Our Lady of Paris, we pray for you.

5 responses to “20111224 Midnight Mass – Sermon”

  1. Christmas Sermons…

    Today’s Church Times has reports of several Christmas Day sermons: ‘Atomised’ Britain is urged to seek God’s forgiveness. The full texts of some are available online. Archbishop of Canterbury Archbishop of Wales Bishop of Salisbury Bishop of St A…

  2. william Avatar
    william

    “Christ is born and all shall be well” – sounds very like Jeremiah’s “peace, peace”, but there was not peace.
    Substance is all important, whether it’s in the content of sermons or websites.
    Throughout His life, and especially in His communication with the religious Jesus took great care to communicate substantially lest at the end many should come to Him, saying Lord, Lord and He would then have to say – I don’t know you.
    Crowded churches or busy websites in themselves are nothing, as we all know – so let’s not encourage folks to busy themselves with such digressions.
    But there are ways in which we should be busying ourselves – Jesus had a lot to say about that – including our presence for worship and even the content of websites!

    1. kelvin Avatar

      > Jesus had a lot to say about …. even the content of websites!

      Oh no he didn’t!

      1. william Avatar
        william

        Kelvin, your understanding of scripture is amazingly narrow, even literalistic – at times!!

        1. kelvin Avatar

          That may well be so.

          However, I do understand irony.

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