For all the fear, questions and doubt our Holy Mother must have had when that angel appeared, she opened her heart and mind and said "Be it unto me according to thy word" A lesson to us all. We all have our doubts and questions about the Church and it's teachings. Maybe some of us question it's past and seek to change it's future, and for others (including myself) we look a the direction the Church is going and question it's wisdom. As Anglican's, questioning and enquiring minds are almost required but certainly desired. To discern and question our teachings and ecclesiology is fine, it is good to look again and again as to how we apply our faith in our current culture. However questioning is one thing, blatantly raging against them and disobeying them is another.
We have our doctrines , they are there in black and white. We as a Church have a stance, we as members of the Church have a duty to follow, obey and uphold these teachings. In the space of a few weeks some of the very people who should be seeking to lead us in these lessons, have sought to publicly bring them down. Whatever your views on Gay marriage within the clergy or beyond, the Church has a stance and it's Bishop's have spoken. If you disagree with the Church's teaching, patience, humility and obedience is required, until your questions change the teaching from the inside. You do not blatantly and overtly flout the rules and expect to go unpunished, you have chosen your life and your Church and you should live within it's rules.
Secondly, we have a teaching and a most valuable one on the sanctity of life. Once we decide it is acceptable to allow people to take their own lives with the blessing of the law of the land and the Church it will be a sorry state of affairs. It will become a consumable and the barrier will fall ever backwards and taking lives will become easier and easier. This has been a trend that has been apparent since we allowed abortions. They have become more routine and easier to acquire, and more lives are ended as a consequence. For a Bishop and a Canon of the Church to stand up and directly intervene in favour of this course of action is deeply disturbing. What is more disturbing is for them then to turn round and call someone who up holds the Church's teaching "A troll".
It is saddening to see these issues played out in public, further reinforcing that we are a Church lost in it's own pathway. We can not agree upon or uphold it's teachings. We are focussed on in fighting and disobedience of our hierarchy instead of knuckling down and doing what we should do best loving one another and loving and helping the world.
Our Blessed Mother, must have many doubts and concerns as to her future. She may have felt that what was happening to her was gravely wrong and she would be judged. But she turned to that angel and said "Be it unto me according to thy word". Humility that she was God's servant. Obedience to God's word and teaching. Faith that God's will would be encountered in the end. Trust that God knew what he was doing and the journey would be a joyous one. Seek to question, maybe even seek to change the Church. But do so with humility that you may be wrong. Acceptance that not all feel the same as you, and they have that right. But above all, do so with obedience to the rules. If the Holy spirit moves with you, all will change with time. Do not make the Church about your personal agenda and desires, listen to God and his will and make it about him.
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