Drawn in

The whole town gathered (1:33) 

The town where we used to live, Abingdon, has a unique tradition. Whenever there's a royal event, the local nobs gather on the roof of the town hall and throw buns into a waiting crowd. The building is on stilts and very tall so the buns seem to appear out of an empty sky. It's fun but has a few downsides. When it's raining the buns tend to splat everywhere. Even when it's dry the chuckers aim is generally rubbish so a few people leave with dozens while most go home empty handed. But it's the kind of event where a reporter might say that the whole town gathered.

Peter's home town had rather more reason to gather. This wasn't a mere show but a spiritual and medical feast. The Lord of Life was on the doorstep of a local house dispensing healing and blessing in equal measure.

So one is left to ponder why the whole town is never drawn to our Christ-like moments. If we could offer healing would they come? I suspect they'd think it was all a trick and stay away. One lad I knew was healed miraculously as a young man, but when he told me the story he finished with 'and now I'm an atheist'. So what can we offer?



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