Given the gorgeous sunshine, it was perhaps inevitable that the conversation would include how nice the weather was, when I asked the man in the tent how the festival was going for him. He commented that this is what happens when so many people had prayed for good weather. I took a deep breath and replied "or not". I'd have really liked to have gone on to have a deep theological discussion with him, rather than leaving him feeling perhaps a little snubbed, only I was called to do my talk at that point. And maybe I'd have not been brave enough anyway, seeing as his theological thoughts are well respected and mine are not exactly well known. But I do think our beliefs are equally valid, whether we are clergy bigwigs, or individuals in slogan t-shirts.
I don't think that God controls the weather according to number, or conviction, of prayers received. Not every wedding can be shined upon or else the crops would shrivel and then what would we eat? And if we are to claim God blesses some with sunshine, it feels just a small step to then going along with those ridiculous calls that God is punishing particular people with extreme floods. I personally believe in an ecosystem that means weather happens and can be sometimes influenced by our actions - whether it's intentional cloud seeding, or selfish activity resulting in global warming, but not by our prayers.
There was a wonderful moment when I was back at the festival again today. We were encouraged to go up and use some water in whatever way we saw fit and most people were signing themselves with a cross shape using a dampened finger. I reached the bowl at the same time as another woman so we did that polite thing of "you first, no you first" and I said let's both go together. So we did, and spontaneously flicked water at each other and then realised we knew each other from the called to serve course. Brilliant!
Hope you too have had a day full of sunshine and joy :)
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