The recent St Patrick’s Day Parade in Dublin had as its theme storytelling. It was a good theme with plenty of room for creativity and imagination. Storytelling is not something ancient or new, it is part of our DNA makeup. We like stories, we share stories, we listen to stories, we celebrate stories and we create stories each day.

Our scripture readings are quite simply a collection of many stories. Some of these stories are sometimes strange and hard to understand. Some stand out much more easily and we can connect with the story and the message. Some are exaggerated and we need to understand them carefully in the context of the time in which they were written. But each story is about a person’s understanding of God and the difference God has made in their life.

These stories continue today as well. The stories about God are not just limited to scripture readings. These stories about God continue to unfold today and you are an important part of these stories. It can be so uplifting and energising to hear how God’s love has touched so many people. There are many stories and so many collections of beautiful moments. They all add up to something really special which doesn’t always make the headlines. It doesn’t need to either, because these stories and moments continue to evolve as part of God’s ongoing journey with us.

In our modern world, there are some who see these stories and moments as a worn out and irrelevant view of the world. It is worn out and irrelevant if we choose not to be open to the Spirit of God and choose to live in some fearful dark corner. God’s presence and energy in our world, is exciting, colourful and constantly evolving. It is a privilege to be a part of it, no matter what size that part is for us, be it tiny or something much bigger. If it has worn you out, perhaps you have been looking in the wrong place?