Godbothering

Yesterday I listened to one of the sessions at this year's, necessarily online, Hay-on-Wye Book Festival. The speaker was Rhidian Brook, promoting his recent book, Godbothering: Thoughts, 2000-2020 - As heard on 'Thought for the Day' on BBC Radio 4. It was a fascinating conversation and, having begun to read the book, it is full of useful thoughts and insights.

Thought for the Day is limited to less than three minutes, ideally two minutes forty five seconds, so, in around five hundred words, something useful, topical and faith-linked is to be said. I have to admit that I don't often hear Thought for the Day, and certainly don't ever remembering hearing Rhidian Brook, but I am enjoying the read and the insights. I also find it interesting that though these thoughts were invariably topical for the moment, there are a lot of enduring thoughts in there. I don't feel that I am simply reading reflections on events of up to two decades ago.

Just a couple of comments that have particularly struck me in the early 'thoughts' -

"Jesus encouraged us to be real in our communication with God, to share what’s on our hearts and minds, rather than get all pious about what we should be praying for. What’s the point in praying for world peace if we’re not able to pray for peace in our own lives, the debts we have, our failing relationships, our sick neighbour? Our prayers don’t have to be long and complex. ‘Oh God, Please help!’ is as real a prayer as any."

"The problem with the word saint is that it has lost something of its true meaning. These days a saint is either an archaic, aloof fanatic or an impossibly good person doing things people like you and me can never do. A saint is a member of an elite club that we are barred from entering, yet to be a saint is to be the very opposite of superior or elite. Nor is a saint someone who is impossibly good. A saint is really an ordinary person made exceptional by the transforming power of God."