‘ He who kisses joy as it flies. Loves in eternity’s sunrise.’ William Blake

Christ’s first miracle was the creation of wine from water. Why did he choose a wedding party?  Because , I believe, he deliberately wanted it to be at a celebration a time of joy and love the very essence of the Christian message ‘ the blind see, the lame walk....the good news is proclaimed to the poor’ Matthew. Christianity must above all be seen as a religion founded on a rock bed of explosive happiness. Our sins have been taken from us for all time, life everlasting is the promise of our future. Love has triumphed and invited all to her feast. We do not have to spend one moment in the ‘ annihilations waste’ of Omar Khayyans famous poem. But oh dear! If you look at so many of our fellow Christians you wouldn’t believe it for a moment. Many churches exude a depressing pall of apathy interspersed with moments of messianic ranting, that bring a winter to the warmest heart and pours cold water over the hottest fire of joy.

It is hardly surprising that so many Christians are repelled by church services. Humanity is like all divine creations a product of joy and us such we are hard wired to reflect and seek after happiness, light and love. Why ? That’s what our creator intended. To allude as so many preachers do that pleasure and sin are one of the same is self serving nonsense calculated to enslave not liberate and light years removed from the truth of the Christian message. ‘ love your neighbor as yourself ‘ is what Christ said and bringing joy to their hearts and a smile to their faces is the best thing a Christian can possibly do. Christianity is good news and should by its very nature be a healing balm for the soul.Walk into a black rival its church in the Caribbean and everybody is having a good time the music is infectious , the singing from the heart, happiness and joy abound freed from inhibition. Why do their services go on for three hours or more ? Simple everyone is having a good time their laughter has opened the door to heaven and they are bathing in the light of God.

Yorkshire Dales, UK