THOUGHT for the week

Next to my front gate in Fort William stands a very large pine tree.

Every evening, it seems to be the gathering place for most of the sparrows in Lochaber. Thousands gather together to roost. Clouds of sparrows will swoop down onto the grass or a path and, at the slightest start, they all rise together into the security of their tree. Late in the evening, the noise they make is deafening.

In an area with no shortage of trees, why do thousands of birds gather in the same one? I’m no ornithologist, but I imagine they feel there is safety in numbers.

One sparrow is an easy target for a predator, but thousands gathered together pose more of a challenge.

By day they scatter and go their separate ways, but in the evening the security of a large group draws them back.

Isn’t faith like that? Most of the time, we get on with our own lives, putting our own faith into practice by our lives and the choices we make.

But sometimes we also need the strength and the security of others. We want family and friends around for times of celebration and sadness. People of faith need others who will share their journey.

Jesus said: ‘Where two or three are gathered together in my name I will be there in their midst.’

Gathering together matters. It is where we lend our strength to others, and in turn gain strength and encouragement from them. We are not called to gather only with those who share all our views or even with people, all of whom we like.

But just as my neighbouring flock of sparrows find security in each other, so we also need times to gather with others also on a journey of faith. Together we often find, unexpectedly, that Christ is in the middle of our gathering.

Reverend Richard Baxter, Fort William: Duncansburgh MacIntosh

and Kilmonivaig Parish Churches