It was a bit of a surprise to us that the website had gone live, so if you came here earlier you would have noticed the “latest news” being filled with nonsense, like the standard space filler of “Lorem Ipsum…” This, of course, is a problem, because websites are supposed to communicate clearly and the fake Latin found as space fillers in document templates is not good at communicating any ideas other than “write something here.” It could have even been a turn off for people reading our website – saying we are not ready, or we have not checked it thoroughly. If that basic mistake is made, what else might be inaccurate on it?
But it is a good starting point for reflecting.
We are increasingly aware that our churchy language often does not connect with people outside of our church culture. What we say can sound as odd as “lorum ipsum” does to our modern ears. It reminds us that in every age we need to reflect on how to communicate the “good news” to our culture and our community.
Augustine talks about a “sacrament” being a visible sign of God’s grace. It is not just for people like “us” or people who are already part of a Christian institution. The life of Jesus shows us that God’s grace is for everyone and we are all called to respond to that grace in our own ways.
What is that Good News? It is the simple message of Jesus – you are truly and deeply loved by God; there is grace, hope, and forgiveness.
Remember that. You are loved.
