I’ve always made space in my life to gaze on icons. And yes the word iconic is overused. And yes, too, the word icon means more than something you click on, or the latest everybody wants to see celebrity. But now and again I succumb to popular cultural pressures.
James McFadden is an icon! That goal in France gave me one of the greatest fottballing moments of a getting quite long life. And now today he made the first goal, scored the third.
Scotland 3 – Ukraine 1
This morning I was in Glasgow and encountered numerous clan representatives of the Tartan Army claiming the city centre in a benevolent invasion. Straight out of central station, into Greggs for the sausage rolls, scotch pies and at least one largeish mince round, then out they came, wearing off the shoulder Lions Rampant, waving the saltire, singing traditional Scottish tunes with radically modified lyrics. In Starbucks there were more sporrans than handbags; up and down Buchanan Street the buskers were competing with the spontaneous entertainment from the infantry recently arrived via Queen Street. Several happy and bemused Ukrainian fans were having photos taken with mobile phones, good natured and generous Scottish supporters draped around them (sharing the mince rounds). This is international football at its best before the ball is even kicked.
Earlier I had been in Borders and they had a classic Bob Dylan CD playing. Dylan’s voice, grating and soulfull, singing songs I’ve known for decades….and then the one that always makes me want to sit down and listen, ‘Blowin in the Wind’. Having posted last night to express my sadness and protest at the events in Iraq, I listened to a song that since I was a teenager says what I feel most deeply about our human capacity to wound and kill each other. As Dylan prayed out his questions, I waited for that plaintive interrogative mouth organ, and then heard the question that brought tears to my eyes,
How many times must a man look up
Before he can see the sky?
Yes, ‘n’ how many ears must one man have
Before he can hear people cry?
Yes, ‘n’ how many deaths will it take till he knows
That too many people have died?
The answer, my friend, is blowin’ in the wind,
The answer is blowin’ in the wind.
I realised that this too, is sacred music; this is the voice of the prophet, asking the question that lies deep in the heart of every human being whose dignity and value should never be erased by the unilateral say so of the powerful. And when it is, other human beings hear people cry, and protest and make it their calling to call power to account, to name evil, and to stand up for humanity – because as a follower of Jesus, I believe each human being is iconic, made in the image of God, valued and loved beyond any calculation I can make.
So on a day when our country won a football match, and I am as daft as any other Scottish supporter, I celebrate not only the win, but the image of Scottish and Ukrainian fans outside Borders, leaping across barriers of culture language and nation, sharing food and having fun – and Dylan’s great hopeful, prayerful series of questions re-echo within, and I listen for the wind of the Spirit blowing across our world, the go-between God, and I hope.
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