“The comfort of the Holy Spirit is often like a kick up the backside!”

The above section of the Bayeux Tapestry shows Bishop Odo, who had come across with the Norman forces to England with their invasion fleet. Above him it says, in Latin, Bishop Odo comforts the troops! Look closely and you will see his comfort it a raised mace about to strike his own forces. What happened in the battle of Hastings was that Harold’s English forces had the higher ground and used that advantage for all it was worth. The Norman’s were famed for their cavalry and so William sent the cavalry forth to try and gain an advantage, and turn the tide of the battle. To his dismay the cavalry were forced back and began to run back down the hill away from the English. Now enter Bishop Odo into the story. On seeing the Norman Cavalry retreat he charges forward on his horse and uses his Bishop’s mace to force the cavalry back up the hill by striking the horses rumps with that mace! His actions worked and the next cavalry charge alongside a volley of arrows from the archers started to win the day and bring about the ultimate victory for the Normans. Its a spectacular image and shows a different idea of “comfort” to that which we are used to. We often think of that term as a nice soft place to fall, or a soft, smooth material. Not a smack on the rump by a blunt heavy object!

This story was relayed to me from a pulpit in 1992 by a vicar who was announcing to the congregation that after many years he was about to move on. He told them that whilst he could stay in the parish, where he indeed felt in his comfort zone, the Holy Spirit’s comfort, much like the mace of Bishop Odo, had kicked him up the backside and forced him to realise it was time to move on. He then pointed to the bible to emphasise that this was often how the Holy Spirit works. In Psalm 23 the psalmist writes “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and you staff, they comfort me.” (Psalm 23 v4). Think about a rod and a staff and you will realise that these are not cosy cushions or soft things, they are rugged and hard and used to push animals around and prod them when they go the wrong way. So can be the comfort of the Holy Spirit.

At the same time as the vicar was telling us that the Holy Spirit prompting him to move, almost against his will, so I was being prompted to act too. For about 6 months God had been prompting me to respond to my call to the priesthood. A call I kept acknowledging and then ignoring thinking “if this is of God then this will have to happen…” and as soon as that did happen (whatever obstacle or experience I was wanting to happen) then I’d put up another barrier. In fact after hearing this sermon and knowing God was speaking to me to act, I sat on things for a further 4 months. But the Holy Spirit would not let me go, His comfort left me very uncomfortable as if a Bishop’s mace or a shepherds crook was bashing into me! Those images have never left me and I have often felt promptings that are like that when I have been too stuck in my ways or in what I am doing.

So, as we await the feast of Pentecost let us be attentive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, let us strive to hear what God is saying to us, where he want’s us to be or go or to do. Be sure that if we ignore Him he will let us know in no uncertain terms. Let us find no rest until we find our rest in God.

from “The comfort of the Holy Spirit is often like a kick up the backside!” – Site Title (wordpress.com)
by caterwaulingcanon
I am the Vicar of Frodingham and New Brumby in Scunthorpe. All things I blog about are my own opinions and thoughts. View more posts