10 June 2025

The writer to the Hebrews says, ‘Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.’ The fruit of our faith is hope and the ability to live our lives in a hopeful way. After all, As St. Paul assures us, nothing can separate us from the love of God.

For the last fifty years, we have been wrestling with an evident lack of faith within our nation and culture. It has had profound implications for the Kirk – its membership, its finance, its credibility, its vision, its future. But not its hope.

In a remarkable speech, the late Chief Rabbi, Jonathan Sacks, talked about ‘creative minorities’. The idea came from Joseph Ratzinger, who became Pope Benedict. He was reflecting on the loss of faith throughout Europe and reframed Christian communities as ‘creative minorities’.

 ‘Christian believers should look upon themselves as just such a creative minority and help Europeans to reclaim what is best in its heritage and to therefore place itself at the service of all humankind.’ Sacks picks up on this and refers us to the exiles in Babylon bereft of homeland and Temple.

Jeremiah writes them a letter to strengthen their faith and give them hope. What does he say? ‘Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat what they produce… Multiply there and do not decrease. But seek the welfare of the city … and pray to the Lord on its behalf for in its welfare you will find your welfare.’

Like them, we are in exile too in a land which is not congenial to the Christian faith. We live in a nation where young people are not having as many children today as the nation needs for its healthy survival. It is also a nation in which young people are unable to work because of increasing mental health issues.

These are signs of hopelessness but we have hope in the Gospel of Christ. But Jeremiah says  to us. ‘Build houses, cultivate a garden, have children and children’s children, work for the community in which you live, pray for it and find your well-being in seeking theirs.’ And this will bring hope to our community and nation!

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