Thought for the Day

23 September 2009

Father Robert King, the Catholic Chaplain at the University of Bristol, is one of the regular contributors to BBC Radio Bristol’s Thought for the Day.  When our contributors are on air we'll bring you the text of their thoughts. 

Thought for the Day is part of BBC Radio Bristol’s breakfast programme with Steve le Fevre.  The reflection is given at around twenty to eight every morning. 

Father Robert is back giving his thought next Wednesday.  His thought from last week is still online.

This is Father Robert's thought from this morning:

“Good morning, Steve. Another day and you know what, I'm doing something different today. I'm going to a church in Filton for the arrival of the relics of St Thérèse. The relics being some of her bones in a special casket that are touring different churches and communities throughout the world. Now that might sound a little odd or even macabre, but it's a long standing tradition in the Catholic Church. Why, one might well ask? Well veneration is actually common to many religions and is rooted in the very natural human instinct to treat with reverence anything connected with those we love who have died. Reaction to the tour has been mixed, but 15,000 people turned up in Portsmouth to welcome the arrival.

“This all means something to me because St Thérèse was an ordinary person who desired to love and serve God. In her life she had her struggles and died an early death from TB. Her faith made her extraordinary. And this points towards God and reminds me that it is possible to overcome difficulties.

“Life is often spoken about as a journey. Within our lives there are many detours, different directions that we take along the way. Sometimes we hear talk of a pilgrimage. That's when we visit somewhere or someone with the aim of taking time to reflect. Well today, I'm taking my place with so many others in our city, to take a moment to think about where I'm going in my life.”