During the days following the July 7th London terrorist bombing, I had a number of phone calls enquiring about special cathedral services and prayers for the victims. At that precise moment I had no plans for special services but explained that at every daily scheduled service at St. Christopher’s we pray for the victims of such atrocities. Indeed no day goes by when we do not hold before God in our services ‘incidents’ around the world as they unfold and those caught up in them. Our prayer life as a church, and as individual Christians must be informed by the daily papers and what we see and hear in the media. Some of the obvious sensationalism and ‘media speak’ we need to carefully sift out, but our prayer life must be up to date and as reliably well informed as possible.

The telephone calls however left me with lingering questions. What do some people think we do as a church? Do we just sit around waiting for the unthinkable to happen?

Part of the church’s task is to reflect upon the nature of God and his creation and to be realistically aware of the potential evil that stalks the earth and manifests itself in the most unexpected ways and places. Daily in our reflection and prayer we are aware of horrors in Iraq. Following July 7th a most terrible rail crash happened in Pakistan. The lives of many millions of people are still devastated by the Tsunami. The continent of Africa is in a terrible mess. Terrorism is a phenomenon of evil that exercises our prayers continuously - daily! The cosmopolitan nature of our congregations at St Christopher’s enhances our focus.

Christians in their life with God are not called to be ‘firefighters’, just responding to needs with ‘special’ prayers and services when they arise. St. Christopher’s Cathedral is open daily and we have instituted a Book of Condolence which will be available whenever such terrible events occur, along with the opportunity for anyone to come freely and light a candle as a visible sign of their prayer and deep concern.

The fact is we are all called to be ‘watchmen’, always vigilant and at our post.
The prophet Ezekiel in the Old Testament is called to be a watchman. “Son of man, I have made you a watchman …so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me.” (3 v. 17). The watchman’s task is not only to warn both individuals and nations but also to keep in touch with the Lord, the one who entrusts the watchman with his task. “The hand of the Lord was upon me and said to me, ‘Get up and go out to the plain, and there I will speak to you.’ And the glory of the Lord was standing there… then the Spirit came into me and raised me to my feet and said ‘Go!’.” (33 v. 22-24)

Special services - maybe! Far more important is something too many seem to have forgotten but which the current upsurge of terrorism should be vividly reminding us, that we must always be at our post: “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.”   (1 Peter 5 v. 6-9)

We are called to be watchmen first, then firefighters!


Alan Hayday.