There can be no doubt that
for most of us daily life is a battle. I know that for some people it doesn't
seem to be so, but equally we all need time out. We need space to reflect,
to plan, to take issue with out troubles rather than simply bobbing from
crisis to crisis like corks on the sea. Indeed, if we are finding our life
consists of a high proportion of crises then it may well be time to take
a look to find out 'why'.
One of the oldest traditions of the
church universal has been 'the reredos' a screen between the main body
of the church and the sanctuary itself. Whether this takes the form of
an altar rail, a pulpit, a few steps or an ornate curtain of carved stone,
wood, or icons, we know inside that there needs to be some kind of filter,
whether to prevent Burning Holy Charity, the Power and Holiness of God,
from breaking out on us and burning us up, or to prevent our own frailties
and hurtfulness from entering into those private sacred tender places which
we share with Our Lord, the result is the same. The bema, or barrier, is
also a bridge.
I believe we need such barriers in
our life, so that we become aware of where good and bad meet in us and
in our lives, so that we may recognize and draw into our daily lives the
strength and peace of sanctity and grace. So that we may on occasion attend
to our spiritual, mental, emotional and moral hygiene, as we must surely
attend to our physical hygiene.
This part of the Sanctuary is built
so that we may examine both frailty and sanctity in perfect safety. It
is 'other worldly'. It stands in a circle outside of time and outside of
space, that it may the better come to grips with the darker and more hurtful
things that seem to live in our time, and in our space.
HISTORY:
The Sanctuary of the Battle Angels
was built to face a particular need. Every time the site has taken on an
issue, we have had within a short time, to take those particular parts
down. I can only suppose that this is because the Sanctuary is doing its
job. What you see on most visits is then, the shell. The living arena within
which many spiritual battles take place.
Every time I turn around I find another
issue, another battle and another source of strength. The core of the Site,
and of the struggle itself perhaps is a question. How can we be people
of peace love and generosity and still stand fast for what is right and
good?
I take it that our job as true humans
is simply to leaven the lump by our own participation in Eternal life here
and now. Sometimes we do have to work for laws to be changed and even for
laws to be put into practise to the extent that they become part of the
way we think. Nevertheless I have never held, and never will hold with
the notion that spiritual battle is about taking a great big spiritual
battle sword and clumping our enemies over the head with it. Not only do
such things encourage dangerous fantasies and even arrogance and pride,
but, in the struggle for the heavenly places this is quite as dangerous
as it is in so called real life.
If the victory we claim is to be Christ's
victory then it will be an anointing. It will transform the inward places
of both protagonists, and it will involve choices.
Only the whole, I've not found that
telling people that they are wicked is any more efficacious than telling
them that they are weak. Nothing encourages helplessness quite so well
as being unable to help being weak or wicked. Nothing encourages resentment
so well either.
Besides which I suspect that the actual
structure of our way of thinking, and of our social and economic systems
leans towards injustice and inequity and downright rottenness. To that
degree then we need to address our prayers toward the root causes of this
unhappy structure, this weakness in society. If there are dominions, principalities
and powers of darkness, there are also dominions, principalities and powers
of light.
How to live ? How to live in joy and
peace and plenty in an abundant universe who has based its system of values
on someone else's lack?
This then is a place for each of us
to turn our minds to the sore, weak and wicked parts of our lives. For
taking arms against a sea of troubles, and for learning that we are not
alone. That the whole communion of angels, saints, the church indivisible
stands with us and that there are more mysteries and strengths in this
world, and ever have been, than most of us are aware of.
While you are here please take some
time to pray for others. For the people who come here feeling weak and
tired, who are seeking for solace, strength, joy. Pray also for those who
pray for you. Those who have inspired and made this site believe that if
you have found it, your were drawn here for a good reason. They are praying
that you will be shown what you need to see, and will have the courage
and sight to share the gift is has been given us to share.
Welcome to the Sanctuary of the Battle Angels
