Rev. Janet Mathieson gives the reflection

This wonderful and important ecumenical celebration of St John Ogilvie and other witnesses to the Christian faith is once more, after Covid 19, a settled event in the ecumenical calendar in Glasgow, and this year it took place on 7th March, organised by Glasgow Churches Together and hosted by the parish community of St Aloysius church.

The weather may not have been particularly welcoming but piper Calum took this in his stride as he played outside the church to greet the congregation.  Inside, the St Mungo Singers and harpist Catherine Walker provided a prayerful ambience.  Our piper then led the church representatives into the church to begin the Vespers.

After the psalms, canticle and readings, Rev. Janet Mathieson , Moderator of Glasgow Presbytery, gave the reflection.  She began by picking up the last line of the reading from the First Letter of St Peter –it is a blessing for you when they insult you for bearing the name of Christ – saying this did not mean that we should seek out suffering or that we worship a God who imposes suffering.

However suffering was part of the human condition and sometimes part of discipleship. John Ogilvie and others were always vulnerable to attacks and the deceits of others as they tried to work out what faith meant.  Even today suffering is part of the present reality for the people of The Way who in an increasingly faithless world can be ridiculed or pilloried, and in some places must worship in secret.

But Christ shows us how to navigate this suffering and gives the strength, hope and grace needed, and so we stand firm in faith, whatever the challenges.  All God’s holy people must be as Christ in and for the world, and so we entrust ourselves to God and Christ.

As the congregation digested this challenging reflection, harpist Catherine Walker played the lovely Hymn of Columba with its comforting words So circle us now with love and with hope!  The service ended with prayers of intercession seeking forgiveness for failures in understanding and love past and present and an openness to the Holy Spirit to become a beacon of love for our world.  The church representatives, led by Fr Gerry Mitchell of St Aloysius, jointly gave the blessing.  Community continued in the Ogilvie Centre where the parish provided refreshments and an opportunity to talk.