I went to a very sad funeral last week. A bishop is a family friend and he took the service.
He ended with the following benediction:
Go out into the world in peace, have courage.
Hold onto what is good.
Return no one evil for evil.
Strengthen the faint-hearted.
Support the weak, help the suffering.
Honour all people.
Love and serve the Lord,
Rejoicing in the love of God,
The communion of the Holy Spirit
Be with your all, now and forever.
Amen.
As I heard these words I found myself thinking, ‘I couldn’t agree more’. I am not a Christian and have no faith, but instinctively agree with the sentiments and philosophy behind those words.
If I were to articulate my life philosophy, there would be no better way of doing so than saying, “Go out into the world in peace, have courage. Hold onto what is good. Return no one evil for evil. Strengthen the faint-hearted. Support the weak, help the suffering. Honour all people.“.
I have always believed in the wisdom and values of the Christian faith and, despite my atheism, have lived according to Christian principles. I see them as universal values, rather than exclusively Christian ideals.
I don’t do God.
But, I do do the simple, lasting values of Christianity.
Who doesn’t ?