The Russian
novelist Leo Tolstoy wrote a short story called The Two Pilgrims.
It tells of
two Russians who set out on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem intent on being present
at the solemn Easter festivities.
One had his
mind so set on the journey’s end and object that he would stop for nothing and
take thought for nothing but the journey.
The other,
passing through, found people to be helped at every turn and actually spent so
much time and money along the way that he never reached the Holy City.
Yet in the
story he received a blessing from God
the other failed to find in the great Easter celebration.
As we start
Lent Tolstoy’s story reminds us true religion is more about generosity than
proper ritual observance. Keeping short accounts with our neighbour is more
important to our sanctification than freeing ourselves of all distractions.
What
distracts is very often flesh and blood - which we sweep away at our spiritual
peril!
It comes
down to choices, as our first reading reminded us. The story of Adam and Eve warns
against choosing things that conflict with the destiny we have under God. Its a
poem full of truth about the human condition that’s picked up by St Paul who
describes how Our Lord’s obedience counters human disobedience. That obedience
is represented in our Gospel reading from Matthew Chapter 4.
Bishop Tom
Wright’s commentary on this passage in his Lent
for Everyone commentary on Matthew’s gospel explains temptation as being
about good things getting distorted. He writes: Bread is good. Jesus will later create a huge amount of it from a few
loaves, to feed hungry people.
But should he do that just for himself?
Coming back
to Tolstoy’s Lenten pilgrims it is good to be single-minded but it is also good
to be sympathetic.
In the story
the sympathetic guy is the hero.
Better slower together than faster alone.
In his book Future Minds Richard Watson prophesies
the internet will one day rank with the alphabet and numbers as a mind-altering
technology of universal significance. His book e goes on to expose and warn against
the associated cult of the immediate
and contemporary with all the unsympathetic
impatience it carries with it.
Whilst it’s
wonderful to see electronic networking bringing the world together our best future
is challenged by the erosion of conversation and reflective thinking that it
brings.
There is a
need for some users at least to find space and time for these lest electronic
technology saps their patience and, most significantly, the resilience essential to creativity.
Internet
usage illustrates the creative tension there is in many an area of life between
single-minded pursuits and relational obligations.
Both are
encouraged in Christianity.
The seeking
first of God’s kingdom is there in one text
alongside a warning in another text
that to do so, to go for loving God ignoring your brother or sister in need is serious
sin.
If Lent is a
call to single-mindedness it is so with the spiritual health warning that comes
out of Tolstoy’s story.
The single-minded
pilgrim so set on his object that he stopped for nothing was not commended as he lacked discernment and sympathy for his
fellows.
The second
pilgrim who was so occupied helping people he got spent up and never reached Jerusalem
was commended.
As part of
the stocktaking of Lent we might examine where
we are on the big life journey and how much our own preoccupations,
even spiritual ones, help build authentic humanity in us and around us.
In a village
like our own we’ve less excuse for not wasting time with people as the Spirit
leads us. Love is in some respects wasting time. When I hear people say ‘time
is money’ I feel slightly uncomfortable. There should be sufficient time for us
to be ourselves and be ourselves with
others, not least those nearest and dearest. The demands of the workplace
are incessant upon many of us – I was struck by the TV interview with the burnt
out Devon police officer this week. There are no easy fixes here, but
government should help us work for a balance because stressed out mums and dads
do no good to their families.
Lent’s the annual reminder to look to the main things
in life and better keeping of them as the main things.
For Christians the main things are attention to God
and neighbour but you’ve got to give attention to yourself to succeed in these.
Examining our stewardship of time, talents and money
is part of this, as well as refocusing on the Lord, giving him the things that
agitate. There’s the opportunity for prayer for individuals after the eucharist
today
To quote another Russian writer, St Seraphim: Acquire inner peace and thousands around you
will find salvation. In Tolstoy’s story the blest pilgrim was the one who
let his peaceable heart be emptied on the journey in service of the human needs
that presented themselves.
The other pilgrim achieved his personal target but was
judged to have missed the mark through seeing the people on the journey as
potential distractions.
How often do we get put into that position, treating
people as less than they are because we’ve got ourselves set upon the next
thing or the next person?
This gives me opportunity to warn us as a community to
be always alert for Our Lord’s presence with us in the person of the occasional
newcomer or visitor after service. St Giles is a place to catch up with our
friends on a Sunday, but let’s make sure everyone in church is treated as a
friend!
The moral
is, whatever grand spiritual aspirations we make, the Holy Spirit is closest to
us when we are about our neighbours, sorting out our destructive attitudes,
putting love in where there is none, recognising the humanity of those who can
seem to be somewhat blind to our own.
May Our Lord
deepen such sympathy in us and among us as we prepare in this holy season for
the Easter Feast.
May we see
triumphs of his Spirit as we correct the balance of our lives in obedience to
his call upon our lives to seek a richer humanity that is more in his likeness.
