A View From The Vicarage - May

Dear Friends,

“Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father” (Jn. 20:17)

Above the altar in the chapel of St. Mary Magdalene in Chichester Cathedral is a painting by Graham Sutherland entitled “Noli me tangere” (Touch me not) it is a comparatively recent example of a long list of artworks attempting to depict the moment which St. John describes of the risen Christ’s meeting with Mary Magdalene on the morning of the Resurrection. I have to be honest that this particular painting by Sutherland, which I’ve known for many years, is not one of my favourite pieces of art. It does provide a little jewel of colour at the end of the Cathedral’s south choir aisle and for that it is quite striking and draws the viewer from a long way away. However the image is a mass of different colours, which for someone who is partially colour blind, as I am, makes it very difficult to distinguish the various components of the image. I’m sure that is precisely the  reason why I find myself drawn to look closely at it, every time I’m in Chichester trying to elucidate some detail which I’d missed before.

The phrase touch me not and with it that image have been much on my mind over the past few weeks and months as the implications of the Coronavirus Pandemic have impacted and impinged upon our daily lives more and more.

It fascinates me to what extent touch is is such a profound human need. In the first encounter between Mary Magdalene and the Risen Christ, her instinctive response is to reach out and touch him as proof positive of what sight and hearing were telling her. How much of our language uses the word touch to convey complex and deep emotion?  We’re touched by words or gestures; images, gestures, actions, words can all be touching or leave us feeling touched when no physical contact has occurred at all.

In St. John’s Gospel, just a few verses on from Christ’s first post-resurrection encounter with Mary Magdalene, John tells us that it was through physically touching Christ’s wounds that Thomas’ fears and uncertainties were triumphantly allayed. I’m sure that a great many of us are missing the reassurance that physically touching those we love can bring us.

We find ourselves as individuals and as a society as Mary Magdalene did, on the morning of that first Easter Day, deprived of the physical contact that can mean so much. I’m equally certain that this elongated Mary Magdalene experience will help all of us as individuals and as a society to reassess and re-evaluate what our priorities are and should be. If the one thing above all others that we feel deprived of is that need to be physically close to those we love, then surely that will teach us to value the precious moments when we are and can be more than perhaps we had done previously. If we’re missing the opportunities to come together physically as community at worship, at play, at leisure or simply united in a common purpose; surely these current and vital restrictions  will teach us to place a higher priority upon them as and when they can be resumed safely.

Let’s be honest, however much we may treasure physical contact it is not and never was the be all and end all. There are people for whom touch is either physically or mentally unpleasant or even painful. There are, as we know only too well, occasions when inappropriate physical contact is not merely distasteful and unpleasant it is completely abhorrent.

We began with Mary Magdalene’s encounter with the risen Christ on the first Easter morning. Although he told her not to touch him, her heart had been touched and she went to inform the others; “I have seen the Lord.” During this time of crisis let’s ensure that conversation continues to happen, even if for many without the blessing or curse of modern communication it might just be via a good old-fashioned conversation overt a gate or by telephone. After all, our repeated petition to God is that He will “hear our prayer.” As Christ told Thomas just after he’d been touched; “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.” (Jn 20:29)

May we continue to be touched but only through the care and generosity of those who in extraordinary times are revealing the depths of their compassion and humanity  by their selfless duty and service.

With my love and prayers as always

Ben.