An Olympic Week

Before  the Olympics got under way last weekend, the media had been covering some interesting behind the scene  stories about  the athletes and their trainers. The one that I found most inspiring  was a short documentary  not so much about the athletes  but about the people who carried the Olympic torch the length and the breadth of the country. It was hard sometimes not to have a tear in your eye as local heroes appeared  carrying  the torch. As you listened it was the torch that seemed to catch people's imagination.  The fact that they saw themselves as torch bearers was so important. The torch became a symbol of all that was good, of all for which they had been striving. What was so heart warming was that crowds of people who turned up to cheer their local heroes. Much  has been made of Danny Boyle's opening ceremony which in truth was an amazing spectacular summation of  one  very small part of British  history and culture over the past 150 years. Yet it was a social comment on the lost of innocence and the break up of the land resulting in the industrialisation of Britain and the coming of  Empire and with it the eventual globalisation of British pop culture in the 60s. All added up to an interesting take on what makes us British. It was the ritual of the  lighting of the  Olympic flame that got me thinking  there is a fine line between honouring and respecting the endurance and tenacity and ingenuity of  the human spirit and elevating human beings to the state of godlike heroes. However it wasn't long before the ceremony reminded us all that  human nature is such that we have a propensity to cheat if let to our own devices. In the ceremony  the athlete taking the oath repeated  in the true Olympian spirit , drugs and doping would be outlawed. Alas the possibility that our heroes could have clay feet remind us of our our need to be continually vigilant as Christian people. We too have a duty to one another and to Christ our Lord  to live lives worthy of our calling. Keep in your prayers and thoughts the chaplains who will be around to support and encourage the many athletes who compete but never win a medal. One such chaplain is Neil Urquhart check out his regular podcasts . I'm back on the road travelling over the next few days. tomorrow I'm at the Clan Gathering where i'm going to be taking a seminar on "What does mission look like in the 21 century ?"  If I  get a chance I'll post some of my thought on this topic on the blog.  When  Friday  comes I'm recordinga couple of  interview for BBC Radio  followed by  a meeting with Victor Spence when I believe I'm going to be presented with a tartan scarf to promote world peace.  When I  receive it I'll  have more to say on the topic. On Saturday  I'll be over at Carluke an early start talking at a breakfast gathering for men then on Sunday it will be over to Inchcolm for the U2 Eucharist. Everyone is welcome even if its raining get along. The boat leaves Queensferry at 2.00pm , don't be late.  On Monday I'm at the Tattoo but will also be preparing for the Fringe event on the 12 and 13 August. So its all go. I'll sign off as i have a meeting at 121 in 30mins to begin to plan the  ten day visit to London in late November. The thing is i better not be late.  

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