The greatest story ever told

We are a society in need of a good story. Now more than ever if there is no story there is no interest. A good friend of mine works in TV and once worked on a programme that required young hopefuls to audition in front of 3 judges who would ultimately decide their rise, or fall, to celebrity stardom. He was deliberately told to find people with a "sob story" that would make good viewing. He was told that no one really cares about a contestant unless they have a story.

I decided to apply for the X factor one year. I'm not sure why but I just felt like it was what I wanted to do and I was all excited when my letter came in from Simon Cowell inviting me to audition. I was less excited however about the audition date. Easter Sunday. I rang the production team and asked if I could have my audition date changed as I was fairly busy that day and they said quite simply - no. I then thought that my blatant religious persecution would make a good "sob story" in its self for next year but then I thought actually maybe this is a better out come. I didn't really have a story of terrible personal hardship, I didn’t have a dog that passed away tragically in the last year who’s favourite song I could sing over a dramatic video montage. "The world needs a story" and I didn't know if mine would be good enough to invoke sympathy with even the best editing and emotive music.

I then realised that I had another story belonged to me. The story that belongs to us all and is the greatest story ever told. The story which I wanted to live and tell rather than queue up at a football ground with 10,000 people for a singing audition. The story which we hear in part today - Good Friday - where we reflect upon the greatest act of love there ever was.

It has all the hallmarks that we look for in the stories we see on TV - betrayal, love, suffering, life and death. Except this is not on TV for the world to watch; its alive and living in the church of today in all those who call themselves a Christian. If our world is a world that needs stories then let us today tell our story - Jesus' story and let us be proud of it. Let it be our motivation, our reason for doing what we do and let’s tell that story not just in words but in actions. According to scripture; Jesus spoke very few times on his walk to Calvary but his actions speak of an indescribable love. Let us comfort those in pain as Mary comforted her son, let us support those who fall as Simon carried Jesus, and let us give ourselves so that others may live.

Let us remember that for some people our lives will be the only Bible they will ever read and that His story is one that only we can tell.

"Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity."
1 Timothy 4:12 NIV

Tom Baptist (27)
Nottingham
Programme Leader with responsibility for Outreach Ministry
Nottingham Diocesan Catholic Youth Service