Feel it! It is here!

DAILY BYTE

Many mornings I’m awoken by the sound of hadedas calling overhead. This morning it was different – not hadedas but VUVUZELAS! And strange as it may sound, I was glad. Because I knew immediately that the day that we’ve all been anticipating for so long has finally arrived. (As an aside, I heard a brilliant description of a hadeda the other day, as someone called it “a flying vuvuzela!.”)

As the slogan puts it: Feel it! (To which we might now add, ‘Hear it!) It is here!

Personally, I’m hugely excited about today and plan to enter into the spirit of this moment as fully as I can. And irrespective of what happens today – whether it rains, or Bafana Bafana win or lose – I’m confident that it’s going to be one of those days that will be emblazoned on our collective consciousness forever.

The question for me today is this, ‘How can I, as a follower of Jesus, enter into the spirit of this event in a way that will contribute positively to what God intends this Soccer World Cup to mean?’

There are three thoughts that come to mind for me in response to that question:

Firstly, I intend to be truly present to this moment, experiencing it as fully and passionately as I can, taking in the sights and sounds and emotions of it all, and allowing all of this to move me to a place of deep gratitude. I don’t want to be blasé about all of this. I want to have eyes wide open with wonder, and a heart beating with child-like excitement, open to being surprised and amazed. As St Augustine once said, ‘The glory of God is the human person fully alive.’ Being fully alive to this experience is one of the ways in which we can add ourselves, in a positive way, to what God will be doing through this event.

Secondly, I intend offering the gift of hospitality as generously as I can. By this I mean, primarily, the hospitality of spirit that is open to others and will allow a spaciousness within me to connect with others. I want to extend this, not just to any foreign tourists I happen to meet, but also to my fellow South Africans. I want people to experience through me the presence of Christ and the radical hospitality of his Spirit, whether they are consciously aware of it or not. This is a bold ambition which I believe God take delight in.

Incidentally, such hospitality of spirit will also mean a sensitivity to those for whom this World Cup is not a priority in their lives. I’ve just come from the hospital where a dear parishioner lies riddled with cancer. There are many living in abject poverty who have to fight for their daily survival. For these, and many others, the World Cup hype is far removed from the daily struggle that is theirs.

We’ve reflected this week on what it means to ‘make the circle bigger.’ Now really is the time for us to put that into practice through the hospitality that we show to others.

Thirdly, I intend to pray – to let my presence and participation in this grand event be a deeply prayerful one. To pray for peace and harmony and the smooth running of this event. To pray that those wanting to use this event to exploit and hurt others for their own financial gain would be thwarted in their selfish intentions. To pray that barriers that exist between people would be permanently broken down, and that authentic relationships across the dividing lines of nationality, race, language, culture and socio-economic position would be forged and deepened.

Am I being naïve in my intentions? I don’t think so. Today, of all days, reminds us that bold dreams and ambitions can become reality. So friends, let’s give ourselves, as the people of God, to this event with passion, exuberance and joy. And may it all be to the glory of God!

Feel it! It is here!

(Right now, I’m off to the Durban beachfront to the FIFA Fan Park. If anyone wants to hook up with me there, please do. I’ll be wearing a yellow shirt! :-) )

PRAY AS YOU GO

Thank you Lord God for this remarkable day and all that it means. We pray your blessing on this Soccer World Cup. Bless all those entrusted with the responsibilities of organizing and running this event. Strengthen them and empower them for this great task. And bless all of us who will be participating in our various ways. May we do so as your children of light, bearing faithful witness to the God that you are and the abundant life that you intend all people to enjoy. Amen.