I’ve just stumbled on this engaging blog by a priest in the Church of England, who offers these thoughts about why he is serving in Iraq right now:

In reality I am here because I believe The Almighty wants me here. I have a profound and simple faith. I have to admit I have never been converted. My earliest childhood memories are of being told how to love Jesus by my parents. I have always loved Jesus and always will. Every night I start my prayers in the same way as I did when I was three. I have never turned my back on The Almighty. People often say to me, “Don’t you ever doubt seeing such death and destruction?” I have to say that I do not doubt.

In the midst of the conflict and trauma are the people who keep me going and they happen to all be children. It is the Children that empower and inspire me. There are over 500 in our church alone, I love them and they all love me. The other day I was preaching at the church of one of America’s leading preachers. We were talking about the problems of the church today. He told me that the ministers needed to see God. Then he turned to me and said “You have seen God, you have seen him in the children.” Suddenly I realised what he said was true. I have indeed seen The Almighty and I saw him in the eyes of the children.

Happy Palm Sunday, one and all.