Christian Comment with Canon Michael Irving

IN THE last ten days I have had the privilege of spending time in three different communities:

a Convent of Anglican Nuns in Oxford, an Ecumenical Centre in Salisbury and an Outward Bound Centre in the Lake District.

All three communities are concerned about human flourishing.

Words that come to my mind are Jesus’ words that we “should have abundant life in all its fullness”. (John 10.10)

First I spent a few days in the Nuns’ Community where life is devoted to a daily round of worship and prayer, to remembering and identifying with the pain of the world and seeking the repentance and the renewal of the Church.

They are a remarkably joyful and cheerful community, so full of life and concern for others.

I then spent a long weekend in Salisbury at Sarum College on a short course on ‘Mindfulness and Contemplative Prayer’.

This college welcomes people of all faiths and none and offers space and time for enquiring minds to grow in wisdom and courage.

As their strap line says ‘our passion is learning that nourishes the human spirit’.

Finally, I visited the two Outward Bound Trust Centres on Ullswater in Cumbria.

The Outward Bound Trust is an educational charity that exists to unlock potential in young people through learning and adventure.

The Outward Bound experience seeks to help youngsters discover not only their own potential for positive living and human flourishing but also the appreciation of the balance of risk, reward and responsibility.

There is a strong emphasis on the growth of respect and compassion for others and of real concern for the world and the environment.

During my 36 hour visit the wind and rain did not abate but the young people were obviously enjoying themselves and learning so much about themselves as individuals and as members of teams.

What a privilege and special time it has been for me to see so many people, in such very different circumstances, being fully human and thereby fulfilling Christ’s desire that we might have abundant life.

One of Christ’s more recent disciples, Kurt Hahn (1886-1974) – founder of Outward Bound - put it like this: ‘We are better than we know. If only we can be made to realise this we may never be prepared to settle for anything less.’