Reflections from the Pew 105

As it’s St Fillan’s 900th anniversary I’m looking at Rev. Rutherford’s children’s address, where he talks about the history of the church, this one is for 23rd July 1967, here he is continuing talking about the Lepar Squint.

If I asked you this morning boys and girls to count the number of windows, I wonder if any of you would remember the leper squint. In some ways it is the most important window of al, the others let in the light, this one lets out God’s salvation.

Today leprosy is unknown in Scotland, and in other countries where it still exists, it is not the dreaded disease it was. But in the days when this church was built and long afterwards it was one of the scourges of the world, feared and every effort was made to prevent those who had contracted it from infecting others.

When people had leprosy they were debarred from meeting with others. You can understand that people with such a contagious disease could not be allowed to come to church and infect other worshipers. But the people who built these churches did not want these people to be cut off from hearing the word of God, so they left a little window so they could stand outside and take part in the service.

In the days of when Jesus was healing by the lake of Galilee, he made it plain that he had come not only for the whole and rich but for the outcast and leper, for the poor and hungry, for the failure and the sinner.

This window is a reminder that will all our faults and failings, that God loves us.

Bruce and is people were very superstitious and we may not believe that story today, but we do believe that when we pray, God can answer. Jesus said “Whatever you ask in my name, that will be given to you.”

Through the ages men and women have found when it times of struggle that Jesus will help you get through.

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