Tossing Pebbles in the Stream

This blog is my place to sit and toss pebbles into the stream. The stream of Life relentlessly passing before us. We can affect it little. For the most part I just watch it passing and follow the flow. Occasionally, I need to comment on its passing, tossing a pebble at it to enjoy the ripple affect upon Life's surface.

Wednesday, June 09, 2010

An Ascension Day Reminder

The day we began our stay in Antwerp was Ascension Day in Belgium. Many venues were closed. During our first walkabout in the historic part of Antwerp we went into the beautiful Gothic Cathedral of Our Lady. This day we just got to look from the back as services were in progress. We returned our last day and had a closer look at the interior and the lovely artwork.
(More later in my third installment about our Belgium visit).

I picked up the handout (below) that was being given out with the order of service. I liked it as a lovely expression of a message of Christianity I could readily embrace. I invite you to read it.

(Click on the photo to enlarge)

What I get out of this message is that Christianity is more than just a matter of individual piety where the focus is a message of spiritual salvation for individuals but more a "social gospel" calling for stewardship toward the natural order, living our lives on modest ways and caring for each other, beginning with the poor. To take this gospel seriously places great demands on us as individuals and as communities. We are falling far short of what is required of us.

Here is a video tour of the inside of the Cathedral. It, of course, does not do it justice as a exquisite sacred space.

If you would like to hear some of Bach played on the organ in the Cathedral of Our Lady in Antwerp go here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZQ--KHn21A&feature=related.

One can only imagine how wonderful sitting in the church and listening to this would be.

6 Comments:

At 7:55 a.m., Ginnie said...: That's a lovely message, Phillip. If there were more church's that espoused those ideas it would be a much better world.
At 11:09 a.m., Anvilcloud said...: I think people are happy to accept salvation rich and full and free and leave the rest.
At 11:09 a.m., Anvilcloud said...: Hmmm ... I guess that was both too jaded and too sweeping. :)
At 2:35 p.m., amelia said...: As you say, we are falling far, far short of taking care of our earth. Too much greed...
At 2:38 p.m., amelia said...: Oh Wow!! I just listened to the organ!!! How majestic and uplifting!!
At 5:44 p.m., J C said...: Re taking care of the earth. I take it literally. Take care of the earth! Without it, we have nowhere. Thanks for sharing, Philip.