It's confirmed - Fratton Park is a holy place

I’m glad the government allowed churches to open again. Peace, prayer and thoughtfulness deserve space in our lives, just as much as shopping or eating out.

But of course, you don’t need to go to church for peace, or to pray or think. As we opened the doors of St Peter’s, I started wondering why the church matters so much. It’s to do with the word ‘holiness’.

Holiness is not a word which only applies to religion. It simply means ‘set apart’. The church is holy because it is set apart for a particular purpose. You can make time for peace, prayer and thinking anywhere, but a church is a place set aside, where those things take top priority.

Going into a church is usually a decision to take those things seriously. Other places are also ‘holy’, as they are set apart for particular activities too. Fratton Park is set apart for us to enjoy the drama and passion of football; a school building is set apart for academic work; an office is set apart for colleagues to work together.

We’ve seen the value of setting aside special places at home during lockdown. Schoolwork can be done anywhere, but it’s easier if there’s a table set aside at home. Those working from home can place their laptop anywhere – but it’s better to dedicate one room where they can work effectively.

We are physical people, and special places matter to us. Whether you can go out, or whether you are shielding, it can be useful to think about the places you set aside for special purposes.

Even if there’s not much room in your house, you can make a space holy for a while by doing something special. I have two candles on my desk which I light before I meditate or pray. It helps me to remember that that time is holy, special.

Churches are set apart to remind us that peace, prayer and thought are important enough to have a special dedicated building for that purpose. As life changes, and we can decide where we go and how we spend our time, it’s good to consider what is holy and special to us, and how to set aside space for it.

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