Notre Dame… a candle of faith in the darkness

Yesterday the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris  was burned severely. It was horrendous to see the film and the pictures of it happening. It was moving to see Parisians singing Hymns in the streets. I'm not Catholic, nor French yet it was something sad to see.

A friend of mine wrote: '100 years to build, 800 years of witness, 1 hour to burn: Holy Week, 2019. - The symbol of 1,000 years of Christian history and worship wiped out within an hour or two. - But not quite ... '

I found that disturbing. As if Christianity is somehow implicitly linked to buildings and history or culture. Nobody lost their life in the blaze. A firefighter and two police officers were injured. 

I'm as guilty as anyone, but we need to hold lightly to earthly things. We are here for a season, and we need to focus on what has eternal value.  

'A profound picture of Notre Dame in Holy Week.

‘The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.’ John 1:5'

There have been times recently when I have not been encouraged with what the Archbishop of Canterbury has said or written, since it appeared to me to be more related to British nationalism than following Jesus. 

But today his response seemed appropriate.

There is a phrase which I love… 'Light a candle, don't curse the darkness'. Jesus came to be that candle.

Something terrible happened this week in Europe culturally, but thank God nobody died. This week is the week we remember that God sent his Son to die. He died that we might spend eternity with our Heavenly Father.

If 1,000 years of Christian history and worship can be wiped out with a fire lasting a few hours then it has little value. If lighting candles of faith around the world can bring people into relationship with God then it has more value than 1,000 churches.