not taught at college

Things they didn't teach you in college.

Yes, well, there are a lot of them! Which, I guess, is pretty much true for any line of work.

Anyway, I had another one of those moments today where I thought to myself I haven't a clue exactly what to do.

There's a couple who live in the village here and I've known them just about all the time I've been here. Twenty years and more.

They're an older couple, getting on up into their eighties now. He's going blind and she's had her scares with her health as well.

She's as Irish as they come and he's from Wiltshire sort of way - and speaks like he walked straight out of 'The Archers' set.

They're a lovely couple. Devout, believing folk, who are always glad to welcome me into their home.

We have a load of fun, a lot of laughs. But prayer as well. And I knew today she wanted prayer with some surgery coming up at the end of the week.

So round I'd gone and she was just getting back from wherever she'd been as well. The timing worked out well. We chatted for quite a while - well, she did the chatting, pretty much non-stop, with a whole load of things she wanted to say, having been back in Ireland herself just last week.

And then, at the end, I prayed. It wasn't hugely long or anything, but I think it covered all of the bases.

So I wasn't expecting what happened next. After the 'Amen' we all stood up and she came right over and took my two hands and said, "Give me the blessing."

Now, remember, she's from Ireland not Toronto. And she's always been throughout her life immersed in the Roman Catholic Church. Really immersed. I mean, even the Pople himself couldn't do more.

So I knew she was asking not for the sort of blessing which can see a person crumple to the ground a bit like Amir Khan did the other week. I knew she was asking for the sort of blessing the priest presumably gives.

With all the criss-crossing with the fingers that goes on.

Which, of course, is not something they teach you at college how to do. At least, not the sort of college I went to.

I think she simply assumed I'd know what to do. And it never crossed her mind as she stood there with her eyes quite shut, that I hadn't a clue. Not about the correct technique, I mean.

I didn't want to disappoint her, of course. So I took the plunge and went boldly and confidently ahead. I worked on the premise that if I did the thing with conviction, she'd think, whatever I did, that this was truly valid and sort of ticked all the boxes. Even if I didn't actually cross my ts correctly as it were.

Which I think is the way it's meant to be, so far as God's concerned. I don't think he's bothered a toss about technique. One way's as good as another so far as he's concerned.

I blessed her. I played safe. Nothing fancy. Stick with the tried and trusted.

And there's nothing more tried and trusted than the original priestly blessing, first pronounced long millennia back by the first of Israel's priests, a man by the name of Aaron. Which is why it's called the 'Aaronic blessing'.

She seemed content with that. Profuse in her gratitude. Which was really very humbling.

The child-like dependence whereby she cast herself on the words of a man like myself pronouncing the blessing of God Almighty himself.

Even though I haven't ever had a single lesson on the how-to-do-it side of things.

There are loads of situations like that.

When I was in at the school last week, teaching the Primary 7s, I had the same sortof thing arise.

I was in to explain what baptism is. And one of the questions they asked was - "When you make the sign of the cross with water on the forehead of a child, which finger are you meant to use?"

Pass.

Another thing they don't really teach you at college.

And I'm madly trying to think if maybe there's some pious form of 'digitology' which recognises the particular significance of all the different fingers.

But I'm honest enough to let them know I haven't a clue.

And then, warming to the subject, I say I hardly think it matters. I mean, what would happen if the person baptising the child was missing the vital finger? Would you say, sorry, pal, you don't have the finger we need?

I figured not. And I let the children know I didn't think that sort of tiny detail is the sort of thing that matters at all. God doesn't care a toss about technique.

I think he simply says - 'Just do it.'

Baptism, blessing, whatever. Just do it.

Like I say, I don't think he's bothered so much about the how-to-do-it side of things.

I think he's happy that we simply look to him and to his Spirit for the guidance and direction that we need on that account. And just do it.

College can teach you a fair amount, for sure. But the real teaching comes from the Lord.

Which is what Jesus always promised his first followers anyway.