The Eye has it!

The British gift for understatement and restrained emotion was much in evidence in the West End today. When I took my lunchtime stroll down to Regent Street, I was totally unaware that about half an hour previously, the nation's capital had been awarded that most glittering of prizes, the 2012 Olympic games. Yet look at the expressions on people's faces, or listen in to passing comments, and you'd never know. I was convinced that once again we were the nearly men (and women) of the world. Only a hastily scribbled "We've Won!" across the newstand poster, where the earlier edition was still on sale, liberated me to hear this wonderful good news!

The awarding of the Olympic games to London of course offers the greatest potential the city, and indeed the nation, has had to show off to the world and to re-brand for years. The mud of Iraq and Britain's controversial involvement there still sticks. Yet seven years hence- another jubilee year, funnily enough, should her maj live to the grand old age of 87- will our nation really rise to the challenge? My hope and dream is that it will also herald a renewed spiritual passion in the UK, that the historic Christian traditions of this island can really be celebrated with renewed vigour as much as the best the human body and mind can offer in competitive sport and culture. Vivat Londinium, Christus regnet!