When we are not on the margins, on the ‘shore of the wide world’ we are prone to verbosity. When one starts trying to talk about the inexpressible we become like the preacher who knows he is giving a bad sermon but can’t stop. He goes on digging his own grave in the desperate attempt to redeem himself and save his reputation.

Some people even get paid for doing this.

The Buddha called them ‘eel-wrigglers and hair-splitters’, people who try to convince themselves and others that the ultimate insight of truth can be defined and argued about. St Augustine said ‘si comprehendis, non est deus’ – if you can understand it, it isn’t God.

In 1 Timothy Paul warned in his usual passionate way against getting caught up in paying attention to ‘myths and endless genealogies, which promote useless speculations rather than God’s redemptive plan that operates by faith.’ The goal of teaching is not more meetings and endless discussion but ‘love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith’ (1:4).

On this theme especially, I had better keep my comments short. Say your mantra. John Main said: say your mantra, be content to say it and live out the consequences of saying it.