Thought for the week

I am writing this after having just attended my youngest son’s graduation. Naturally, there was much celebration, commendation and recognition of the achievements of the graduates. Much talk of future careers and possibilities afforded by such an award.

There’s always an amount of grandeur at these events, and of course, the occasion to dress up, be photographed, enjoy the celebrity of the moment.

It made me think of award ceremonies like the Oscars, events where the rich and famous can parade and use their celebrity status to controversial effect.

And celebrity seems so attractive, to offer such power, recognition and privilege. You only have to look at the preponderance of talent shows to see how many people crave this status.

Yet as I witnessed the young men and women this morning and their impact in the world, I considered it much more likely that it would be the partners, friends, colleagues and families that would be influenced most by them rather than a global audience. Being a remarkable, compassionate partner or friend, isn’t that to be admired?

It reminded me too of our talk in church last week about radicals, those that we greatly admire because of their groundbreaking achievements. We considered possibly the greatest radical of them all, Jesus Christ; he that spoke of loving your enemies, forgiving those that ill-treat you, doing good to those that hate you. A truly counter-cultural message from a radical man, a man that laid down his life for all and did so without fanfare nor celebrity, and certainly not glamour.

He challenges his followers to lead a different sort of life, a radical life characterised by self-lessness rather than self-seeking celebrity.