I have waged this war against myself for many years.
It was terrible.
But now I am disarmed.
I am no longer frightened of anything
because love banishes fear.
I am disarmed of the need to be right
and to justify myself by disqualifying others.
I am no longer on the defensive
holding onto my riches.
I just want to welcome and to share.
I don’t hold onto my ideas and projects.
If someone shows me something better –
No, I shouldn’t say better but good –
I accept them without any regrets.
I no longer seek to compare.
What is good, true and real is always for me the best.
That is why I have no fear.
When we are disarmed and dispossessed of self
If we open our hearts to the God-Man
who makes all things new
then He takes away past hurts
and reveals a new time
where everything is possible.
Patriarch Athenagoras of Costantinople
After almost a month in France, I’ve finally found some time to write something on here. I’ve been overwhelmed by the welcome I’ve received at L’Arche in Trosly Breuil. I’ve met some incredible people and am constantly amazed by the inclusivity of the community which is such a challenge to churches and other communities. So what am I atually doing here. Well I spend most of the week in one of the workshops, helping out with the jobs there, companies in France send them simple jobs to do. Work is so important and it’s great that L’Arche not only give jobs to those in the community but they employ other people from the area. Next month I’m heading North to Ambleteuse on holiday with a small group from the community and am looking forward to a bit of a break by the sea.
Life seems so much simpler here and it’s been great not having too much access to the internet and using my time off to go walking or read. It’s been good to have space as well as being part of a lively community. But all in all it’s been awesome and I’ll find some time soon to write something a bit more coherent.
