Whereof One Cannot Speak Redux

You may (assuming my series of posts on mysticism haven't reduced my readership to my cat, myself and Padre Pio) have noticed that I have remained silent on the subject of Lambeth. It's not that I'm uninterested; it's that I perceive two narratives about the course of the conference, and can't tell which one is true:

1. The Narrative of the Press and Anglican Blogosphere (helpfully rounded up by Canon Kendall Harmon (who is a "reasserter", but one who I think tries to be fair to those with whom he disagrees)). This narrative is one of brinkmanship, tactics, episcopal skullduggery, and will end in a triumph of realpolitik (though whose triumph is anybody's guess); and

2. The Narrative of Indaba--one in which prayer, unstructured conversation and both sides meeting in prayer will lead to a result from the Spirit that we cannot identify. A very dear friend--one who I have long respected as being truly wise as a serpent, yet innocent as a dove--and who is there, tells me that schism wil not likely worsen, and scoffs at my fear that the Arcbishop of Canterbury is not engaged in creating a curial structure at the expense of our GLBT brothers and sisters.

I simply have no idea which narrative will be proven right in time, and what is happening at Canterbury--the skies seem to lower with a Code of Canon Law and a Holy Office of our very own in the offing (aye, this leads nowhere good--I swam the Tiber away from Rome, in part to escape these delights), to say nothing of the pastoral forum perplex. I'd say the auguries are not good--and yet--we don't know and won't know for a lttle while longer.

And so, I remind myself to not occupy myself with great matters, or with things that are too hard for me, but to still my soul and make it quiet, like a child upon its mother's breast. Perhaps we all need a time for reflection and prayer--and to act when the cover is removed from the dish set before us, and we can then decide how to react to what has been cooked up at the Conference--strengthened by not giving way to anxiety as we wait for the table to be laid.