I do not know the man

I should have blogged here yesterday, but I confess, forgot. So I thought I would fill this space today. The following comes from Rowan Williams, A Ray of Darkness, and is a reflection upon Peter's denial of Jesus Christ when he states: 'I don't know the man', with the emphasis by Williams on 'man' and making Peter's denial the confession of us all who want it as it were all sown up rather than living with the fragility of uncertainity in faith. I read this in Lischer, The End of Words, p. 85.

I do not know the man

I am more comfortable with the God. The man speaks to me not in solemn commands, in law and majesty, but the touch of a hand, a baby crying, a death, and expects me to hear and obey these voices of need and friendship as if they were the voice of God...

I do not know the man

I do not want to know the human, the provisional and ironic, tears and laughter, the future still to make...Take us away from all this; like the ultimate romatic hero, sweep us into the world of distant panoramas, magical controls, solved problems. I do not want to be forced back to the earth where I must choose and travel and be hurt.

I do not know the man.