Category: Sunday Reflections

A weekly reflection on the lectionary readings for Sunday

Third Sunday of Advent

14th December 2025

Reflection with readings below

Advent is the season when we prepare for the coming of Jesus – of his coming as both a frail human baby and as the Word that establishes the reign of God here on Earth. Prophets such as Isaiah gave their people – and us – a vision of what that world order would look like. It is one of beauty and flourishing, of abundance, of healing and restoration. Who wouldn’t want to love in such a world? Why then is it that 2000 years after the birth of Jesus we still seem stuck in a world order that doesn’t protect beauty, that doesn’t enable everyone to flourish, that allows a minority to have more than enough whilst others go without, that rations healing according to wealth or advantage, that is racing towards planetary destruction rather than restoration?

Somehow we are failing to live according to the rule, the way of life, that God intends for us. It was Bernard Shaw who famously said “Christianity might be a good thing if anyone ever tried it.”

Today’s canticle is the Magnificat, the Song of Mary, which is also prophetic. What Mary proclaims is not the state of the world as it was in her day, but how it could – would – become in the day of her son, God’s son. And it is prophetic in telling how that future will come into place – and it is a way that is radical, turning the accepted order upside down! 

It is a song that openly challenges the maintenance of the status quo. It is a song that openly asserts that those who are rich are going to have to fore sake most of their wealth; it is a song that asserts that those with power are going to have to vacate their high positions and enable a widespread sharing of power; it is a song that challenges those who think they know all the answers, who think they have everything under their control. 

I wonder if we are ready for such a revolution? How would we feel if the rich were asked to give up their wealth? Or if those with power were asked to share it? How would we feel if those who live in comfort were asked to share the life experiences of the poor? Maybe these are the situations we are expected to ponder on and prepare for during Advent? 

This last week the group Take Back Power tipped bags of manure out under the Christmas tree at the Ritz hotel in a protest aimed at highlighting the wealth inequality that exists in the UK. The group is calling in the government to establish a “permanent House of the People- a citizen’s assembly chosen by democratic lottery, that has the power to tax extreme wealth and fix Britain.”

Later the group carried out another action at the Tower of London, splashing apple and crumble and custard over the display case containing the Crown Jewels. One of the protestors said “Our country is crumbling before our eyes. We have homeless people dying on the very streets that King Charles passed on his way to the coronation, whilst there are more empty homes than unhoused people in this country. It’s time the ultra-rich pay their fair share.”

If such tactics revolt us, how would we go about bringing in the changes that the Magnificat celebrates?

Today’s gospel tells us that Jesus understood his coming onto the human stage as the messiah, would be apparent through the transformation his ministry wrought. Is his ministry still being carried on by us? Are we as Christians – as Christ Followers – bringing about a visible change in the order of things? Could a modern day bystander go and tell John that “the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. And blessed is anyone who takes no offence at me.”? 

I think we are as Christians beholden to take a stand, to call our injustice and inequality, and to heal and to make good all that has been inured and destroyed by the world’s greed. We may have to be patient – and persistent – in this. But equally we should draw strength and hope from the knowledge that we are not alone, for even as we wait for Jesus, he is already alongside us. 

Isaiah 35:1-10

The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad,
the desert shall rejoice and blossom; 

like the crocus it shall blossom abundantly,
and rejoice with joy and singing. 

The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it,
the majesty of Carmel and Sharon.

They shall see the glory of the Lord,
the majesty of our God.

Strengthen the weak hands,
and make firm the feeble knees.

Say to those who are of a fearful heart,
“Be strong, do not fear! 

Here is your God.
He will come with vengeance, 

with terrible recompense.
He will come and save you.” 

Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,
and the ears of the deaf unstopped; 

then the lame shall leap like a deer,
and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy. 

For waters shall break forth in the wilderness,
and streams in the desert; 

the burning sand shall become a pool,
and the thirsty ground springs of water; 

the haunt of jackals shall become a swamp,
the grass shall become reeds and rushes. 

A highway shall be there,
and it shall be called the Holy Way; 

the unclean shall not travel on it,
but it shall be for God’s people; no traveler, not even fools, shall go astray. 

No lion shall be there,
nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it; 

they shall not be found there,
but the redeemed shall walk there. 

And the ransomed of the Lord shall return,
and come to Zion with singing; 

everlasting joy shall be upon their heads;
they shall obtain joy and gladness,
and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

The Song of Mary Magnificat

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,

my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour; *
for he has looked with favour on his lowly servant.

From this day all generations will call me blessed: *
the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name.

He has mercy on those who fear him *
in every generation.

He has shown the strength of his arm, *
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, *
and has lifted up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things, *
and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel, *
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,

The promise he made to our fathers, *
to Abraham and his children for ever.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.

James 5:7-10

Be patient, therefore, beloved, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious crop from the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near. Beloved, do not grumble against one another, so that you may not be judged. See, the Judge is standing at the doors! As an example of suffering and patience, beloved, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.

Matthew 11:2-11

When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. And blessed is anyone who takes no offence at me.”

As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed shaken by the wind? What then did you go out to see? Someone dressed in soft robes? Look, those who wear soft robes are in royal palaces. What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written,

‘See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way before you.’ 

“Truly I tell you, among those born of women no one has arisen greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”

Second Sunday of Advent

7th December 2025

Reflection with readings below

This week saplings that have been grown from seeds collected from the sycamore gap tree after it was rudely felled, have been distributed around the country. Places chosen to receive these symbols of new life have included the Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, the Woodcraft Folk’s youth campsite, the West End Women and Girls Centre in Newcastle, the Treetops Hospice, Rhiwbina Primary School, the Goan Welfare Society, and Thames Valley Police HQ. The constituent parts of a good society are varied and diverse. 

Today’s reading from Isaiah also talks about a new shoot – a sign of new growth, of life springing up a new.  This shoot Isaiah foretells, will create a new era,  a new society where life will flourish. This new  will be shaped by justice,  equity, peace and harmony. Who wouldn’t want such a future for them and their children and their children’s children?

This last week has seen two different aspects of the climate crisis. One was the National Emergency Briefing held in London when ten top scientists and other experts addressed an audience of MPs (sadly only 80 turned up), peers, faith leaders, members of the press and others. Over the three hours concise arguments were presented as to why the government and those in authority should be paying serious attention to the emergency we are facing and to address the crisis with the same urgency and comprehensive engagement that was used during the Second World War. For anyone wanting to hear what was said, a full recording of the morning is available on YouTube.

The other were the horrendous floods and mudslides in Indonesia, Thailand, and Sri Lanka that have engulfed so many communities, washing away so many homes and livelihoods and depriving over 1300 people of their lives. This and similar highly destructive storms in the preceding weeks that affected the Philippines, Jamaica, Haiti and Cuba, have all been intensified by climate change. 

Whether it is here in the UK or in the tropical parts of the world, we need to rebuild and reshape the infrastructure of our lives and economies. We need to build for greater resilience and we need to dismantle our dependency on oil and gas. We need to ensure strong caring communities. We need to ensure economic justice and equity. We need to restore harmony with the Earth, living sustainably within its natural limits.

We need to hear afresh the words of John the Baptist, “Prepare the way of the Lord!”

Isaiah 11:1-10

A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse,
and a branch shall grow out of his roots. 

The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him,
the spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the spirit of counsel and might,
the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. 

His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.

He shall not judge by what his eyes see,
or decide by what his ears hear; 

but with righteousness he shall judge the poor,
and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; 

he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth,
and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. 

Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist,
and faithfulness the belt around his loins. 

The wolf shall live with the lamb,
the leopard shall lie down with the kid, 

the calf and the lion and the fatling together,
and a little child shall lead them. 

The cow and the bear shall graze,
their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the
ox. 

The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp,
and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder’s den. 

They will not hurt or destroy
on all my holy mountain; 

for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord
as the waters cover the sea.

On that day the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples; the nations shall inquire of him, and his dwelling shall be glorious.

Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19

1 Give the King your justice, O God, *
and your righteousness to the King’s Son;

2 That he may rule your people righteously *
and the poor with justice;

3 That the mountains may bring prosperity to the people, *
and the little hills bring righteousness.

4 He shall defend the needy among the people; *
he shall rescue the poor and crush the oppressor.

5 He shall live as long as the sun and moon endure, *
from one generation to another.

6 He shall come down like rain upon the mown field, *
like showers that water the earth.

7 In his time shall the righteous flourish; *
there shall be abundance of peace till the moon shall be no more.

18 Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, *
who alone does wondrous deeds!

19 And blessed be his glorious Name for ever! *
and may all the earth be filled with his glory.
Amen. Amen.

Romans 15:4-13

Whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope. May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised on behalf of the truth of God in order that he might confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written,

“Therefore I will confess you among the Gentiles,
and sing praises to your name”;

and again he says,

“Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people”;

and again,

“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles,
and let all the peoples praise him”;

and again Isaiah says,

“The root of Jesse shall come,
the one who rises to rule the Gentiles;
in him the Gentiles shall hope.”

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 3:1-12

In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said, 

“The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight.’” 

Now John wore clothing of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan, and they were baptised by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit worthy of repentance. Do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 

“I baptise you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and will gather his wheat into the granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

First Sunday of Advent

30th November 2025

Reflection with readings below

The passage from Isaiah sounds like system change – a radical transition from an economy of warfare to one of agriculture. Looking back over recent history, we and previous generations have experienced the transition from canal to rail transport, from horse to car, from coal power stations  to gas power stations, from UK based cotton mills to imported cotton, from UK built engines to imported ones, from the UK beach holidays to Mediterranean package deals. Each transition from one dominant industry or medium to another has come with feelings of fear and feelings of optimism, of job losses and job gains, of resistance and of advancement. 

Would similar feelings be experienced by those who were traditionally makers of swords and spears who see their skills being devalued? And what of those in ancillary trades – the makers of shields and helmets for example? What about the bankers who financed the wars and took their cut of the spoils? What of the young men who has been taught that manliness was exemplified by bring a warrior? Conversely would there be feelings of optimism and excitement amongst those who make ploughing shares and pruning hooks, or ploughs and grape presses? Amongst those skilled in cultivating the land, in turning wheat into bread and grapes into wine? And amongst the wives and mothers? 

On Thursday I attended the National Emergency Briefing where we heard from ten speakers with scientific and similarly qualified backgrounds, talking about the current and future situation vis a vis the impact on us of climate change and biodiversity loss. The morning was both sobering as we heard of the enormity of the risks we face, but equally encouraging when we also heard about the transition that could be made to a healthier, safer (but not cooler – the current increase in temperature and its impacts is already built in) future. But to get to that future will need radical transformation of the way we live, a radical change in the way the government legislates mandatory restrictions on the use and exit from fossil fuels,  a radical change in the way resources are distributed – and a radical change in the way the public are informed about the  risks and opportunities that lie ahead.

Change and transition can be feel scary and daunting. Has our Christian faith any insights and support to offer? Have we stories to tell that will enable people to hear and understand the truth of our current situation and the potential ways forwards?

The message that runs through all the Bible is one of hope, that destruction will not be the end of all things, that evil snd hatred will not win, that God will be there for us, that the gift of love will never be powerless. From the story of the Garden of Eden to the story of Noah’s Ark, from the Exodus from Egypt to the Exile into Babylon, despite whatever sins have been committed and mistakes made,  each story reminds us that God always remains faithful.  From a homeless birth to a life on the road, from the mocking of religious leaders to the misuse of power by those in authority, Jesus lived through the now all to common experiences of many of the vulnerable in our world, yet remained true to his calling. And in the strength that came from the power of his resurrection, which he shared through the Holy Spirit, we too have the strength and power to remain true to our calling to be at one with all of creation. 

I think our faith tells us of the importance of loving our neighbour – whoever or whatever or where ever they are. It tells us of the importance of listening to others, hearing their pain and anger, understanding how they have experienced life thus far. It tells us of the importance of discerning the truth. It tells us of the need to be humble and generous and sacrificial. And it rejoices in all that is good. It rejoices in the joy of fellowship and friendship. It rejoices in the beauty of creation. It rejoices in the peace that comes from God. 

Can we bring these gifts to the conversations about climate change, about biodiversity loss, about social injustice? Can we bring these gifts to conversations about changing our lifestyles – eating less meat and dairy, opting for active travel, insulating our homes, buying what is needful rather than wasteful? Can we bring these gifts to conversations about making a just transition from fossil to renewable energy? Can we bring these gifts about a just transition that enables everyone’s Ila needs to be met? And about how our banking and investments can shape that future? Can we bring these gifts to conversations about how we can prepare for the emergencies that lie ahead – the potential of flash floods, of heatwaves, of power outages – and how we can support each other as resilient communities? Can we bring these gifts to conversations about creating and maintaining green and blue spaces from which we can all benefit?

Yes I think we can and we should – both as individuals and as churches.

NB Franciscans  International and the Lutheran World Federation produced a report this autumn about making a Just Transition. 

“Just Transition is a transition towards a sustainable economic system where the wellbeing of people and the planet is central. It requires reimagining the dominant capitalist mode., which drives  relentless extraction and exploitation. This system must give way to an economy rooted in ecological sustainability, social equity and collective care. Climate action must be embedded within a framework that values human dignity, community resilience and the rights of nature, rather than its commodification.

“Just Transition isa transformation and a shift that calls for systemic change…

“Just Transition is a transition towards climate actions that must be rooted in a robust ethical framework that prioritises justice, fairness and equity for all …”

Click to access COP30_Just_Transition_ENG.pdf

Isaiah 2:1-5

The word that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.

In days to come
the mountain of the Lord’s house

shall be established as the highest of the mountains,
and shall be raised above the hills;

all the nations shall stream to it.
Many peoples shall come and say,

‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the house of the God of Jacob;

that he may teach us his ways
and that we may walk in his paths.’

For out of Zion shall go forth instruction,
and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

He shall judge between the nations,
and shall arbitrate for many peoples;

they shall beat their swords into ploughshares,
and their spears into pruning-hooks;

nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war any more.

O house of Jacob,
come, let us walk
in the light of the Lord! 

Psalm 122

1 I was glad when they said to me, *
“Let us go to the house of the Lord.”

2 Now our feet are standing *
within your gates, O Jerusalem.

3 Jerusalem is built as a city *
that is at unity with itself;

4 To which the tribes go up,
the tribes of the Lord, *
the assembly of Israel,
to praise the Name of the Lord.

5 For there are the thrones of judgment, *
the thrones of the house of David.

6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: *
“May they prosper who love you.

7 Peace be within your walls *
and quietness within your towers.

8 For my brethren and companions’ sake, *
I pray for your prosperity.

9 Because of the house of the Lord our God, *
I will seek to do you good.”

Romans 13:11-14

You know what time it is, how it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armour of light; let us live honourably as in the day, not in revelling and drunkenness, not in debauchery and licentiousness, not in quarrelling and jealousy. Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.

Matthew 24:36-44

Jesus said to the disciples, “But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left. Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.”

Feast of Christ the King

23rd November 2025

Reflection with readings below

Each time we pray the Lord’s Prayer, we ask that God’s kingdom come on Earth as in Heaven. This is to ask that God should reign on Earth, that God’s rule should prevail here on Earth. This would be a transformation of the systems of power and authority that we see. God’s rule has the best interests of the poor and vulnerable at heart. God’s rule encourages cooperation and the sharing of resources. It engenders love and friendship between everyone. It engenders peace and harmony. Today we celebrate the Feast of Christ the King for as the last Sunday of the Church’s year it is when we reflect on the culmination of Jesus’s ministry – the establishing of God’s rule here on Earth. 

For the people Jeremiah was writing for, were in a no win situation – either to be overrun by the Babylonian Empire or to be taken over by the Egyptian Empire. Jeremiah places the fault with the nation’s leaders. They are more concerned for their own well being and safety, and have failed in their work of caring for, protecting and keeping the people together in community. Jesus himself will preach the same message when he castigates those in authority for having as little concern for their people as a hired hand hand has for the sheep – and will assert his own role as the Good Shepherd.

Are our leaders today  following the example of the good or of the bad shepherds? Do our government ministers have our best interests at heart or are they more focus on popularity in the polls? Do they care for migrants, for those seeking a safe place to live? Do they care for those already committed to working here, who as yet have no citizenship rights? Do they care whether or not the most vulnerable, and the poorest, actually have enough to live good healthy lives? Do they care enough to ensure that our children have the best start in life, or that our elderly can live free of worry in their old age? Or do they care more for those with large incomes, those who can successfully lobby for their attention, or who can manipulate the markets?

And what of the national governments involved with COP30? Are they willing to care for not just the people in their own countries but for the wellbeing of people across the world? The climate crisis doesn’t recognise national boundaries so unless they work together we will instead all suffer. 

And what too of those in positions of power that are not democratically elected? The CEOs of commercial organisations, the fund managers controlling vast portions of economic wealth, or the lobbyists and influencers who increasingly determine the direction of travel governments. Yet again, the number of lobbyists representing the interests of the fossil fuel industries at COP30 has risen: 1in  25 attendees is such a lobbyist. Their numbers exceed the delegates from the Philippines, and equally  those from Jamaica – both being nations recovering from extreme weather events driven by climate change. 

The world is full of ‘bad shepherds’. 

As Christians we need to follow Jeremiah’s example and call out the  abuse and misuse of power wherever we find it – and by the same token that means we should have ears and eyes open to what is happening in the world and be ready to ask the awkward questions so that such wrong doing does not happen unreported. As Christians we need to challenge the systems that allow people to exercise and misuse power in this way. And as Christians, we should be standing up for the needs as well as for the rights of the vulnerable and isolated. 

Yes these tasks can seem impossible, but with God as our strength and Jesus as our guide, we can and should do the best we can. It may mean doggedly reading the news and other reports even when this feels overwhelming. It may mean tediously writing letters and signing petitions. It may mean going out in the cold and wet to join vigils and protest marches (but these also come with wonderful times of camaraderie, with well earned breaks for coffee and cake, and with amazing encounters with amazing people). It may mean boycotting favourite foods or products – we do have significant power as consumers when we work together. It may mean changing our lifestyles to show solidarity with others and to be living examples of what the Kingdom of Heaven may look like.

As we prepare for the start of the new Church year, can we embrace Advent as a time to reflect on and renew our commitment to the coming of the Kingdom of God?

Jeremiah 23:1-6

Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! says the Lord. Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who shepherd my people: It is you who have scattered my flock, and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. So I will attend to you for your evil doings, says the Lord. Then I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the lands where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. I will raise up shepherds over them who will shepherd them, and they shall not fear any longer, or be dismayed, nor shall any be missing, says the Lord.

The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. And this is the name by which he will be called: “The Lord is our righteousness.”

The Song of Zechariah    Luke 1: 68-79

Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; *
he has come to his people and set them free. 

He has raised up for us a mighty saviour, *
born of the house of his servant David. 

Through his holy prophets he promised of old,

that he would save us from our enemies, *
from the hands of all who hate us. 

He promised to show mercy to our fathers *
and to remember his holy covenant. 

This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham, *
to set us free from the hands of our enemies, 

Free to worship him without fear, *
holy and righteous in his sight
all the days of our life. 

You, my child, shall be called the prophet of the Most High, *
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way, 

To give his people knowledge of salvation *
by the forgiveness of their sins. 

In the tender compassion of our God *
the dawn from on high shall break upon us, 

To shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death, *
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: *
as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen. 

Colossians 1:11-20

May you be made strong with all the strength that comes from his glorious power, and may you be prepared to endure everything with patience, while joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers– all things have been created through him and for him. He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of his cross.

Luke 23:33-43

When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” And they cast lots to divide his clothing. The people stood by, watching Jesus on the cross; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!” The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.”

One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, “Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” He replied, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

9th November 2025

Reflection with readings below

The first chapter of the book of Haggai is set a month before today’s passage. In it Haggai is told by God that it is not yet time to rebuild the Lord’s house. But then God speaks again asking Haggai to consider the wellbeing of the people – they have planted much but harvested little; they have something to drink but not enough to satisfy their thirst; they have clothes but not enough to keep warm. And God says “Give careful thought to your ways.”

It seems that God is setting the ground – maybe enacting a parable – that challenges the people to understand that there are different ways of living. They can live according to the ways of the past, of convention, which don’t  satisfy their needs, or they can live according to the ways of God which will satisfy all their needs. And so it is in the next month that God’s word to Haggai calls on the people to restore God’s house and so restore their own well-being – and handsomely so with much wealth!

For the people of Judah, the temple was the house of God that had been destroyed by the Babylonian invaders. Now that some of those exiled to Babylon have returned to Jerusalem, the desire is to rebuild the temple. But for us in the 2st century might we rather consider the Earth as being God’s house? 

“The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands” Acts 17:24 

And if we look at the Earth as God’s temple, do we see it as a place that has been well cared for, a place of peace and beauty? Or do we see a place that is broken and damaged, and in need of repair? 

When we look at the wellbeing of our fellow creatures (human and nonhuman)do we not see communities that do not have enough to eat and drink, that do not have adequate clothing and protection? Could that be because we are not living in accordance with God’s ways?  Are we misusing the world’s resources such that the needs of many are not satisfied? Surely it is therefore time to reassess and redirect the way we live? 

Absolutely! Time and again we hear scientists warning us that our continued use of fossil fuels and of greenhouse gas emitting practices is continuing to fuel the climate crisis. We are now on track for more than 2C of warming. This will ensure brings even more extreme weather events – droughts, storms, wild fires and hurricanes such as Melissa last week – more food shortages (over the last three years, British farmers have lost the equivalent of a year’s supply of bread because of adverse weather affecting harvests) – more deaths from excess heat, the increasing loss of species and destruction of delicate ecosystems, etc. 

We also hear social welfare and justice campaigners telling us that the gap between rich and poor is growing; that people’s lives are being diminished not because the resources aren’t there, but because they are not being made available; that they are not being shared fairly. We hear that mental ill health is rocketing;  that corporate power is trumping democracy; that the justice systems favours governments over individuals, and big businesses over everyone. Injustice is endemic world wide.

And we hear of governments ignoring the warning signs, of governments focusing on those with loudest voices, of governments focusing on the next election not our corporate long term survival. Next week COP30 begins its deliberations. Participating nations knew well in advance that they would have to come to this meeting with updated plans to reduce their national emissions in line with the net zero targets.  In fact they have known this since the  signing the Paris Agreement in 2015. Yet many have not even submitted a plan, and of those that have, none have been sufficiently ambitious to keep the world on track to avoid even a 2C rise in temperatures!

Absolutely it is time to reassess and redirect the way we live.

Haggai 1:15b-2:9

In the second year of King Darius, in the seventh month, on the twenty-first day of the month, the word of the Lord came by the prophet Haggai, saying: Speak now to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people, and say, Who is left among you that saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Is it not in your sight as nothing? Yet now take courage, O Zerubbabel, says the Lord; take courage, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; take courage, all you people of the land, says the Lord; work, for I am with you, says the Lord of hosts, according to the promise that I made you when you came out of Egypt. My spirit abides among you; do not fear. For thus says the Lord of hosts: Once again, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land; and I will shake all the nations, so that the treasure of all nations shall come, and I will fill this house with splendour, says the Lord of hosts. The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the Lord of hosts. The latter splendour of this house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts; and in this place I will give prosperity, says the Lord of hosts.

Psalm 145:1-5, 18-22

1 I will exalt you, O God my King, *
and bless your Name for ever and ever.

2 Every day will I bless you *
and praise your Name for ever and ever.

3 Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised; *
there is no end to his greatness.

4 One generation shall praise your works to another *
and shall declare your power.

5 I will ponder the glorious splendour of your majesty *
and all your marvellous works.

18 The Lord is righteous in all his ways *
and loving in all his works.

19 The Lord is near to those who call upon him, *
to all who call upon him faithfully.

20 He fulfils the desire of those who fear him; *
he hears their cry and helps them.

21 The Lord preserves all those who love him, *
but he destroys all the wicked.

22 My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord; *
let all flesh bless his holy Name for ever and ever.

2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17

As to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we beg you, brothers and sisters, not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as though from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord is already here. Let no one deceive you in any way; for that day will not come unless the rebellion comes first and the lawless one is revealed, the one destined for destruction. He opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, declaring himself to be God. Do you not remember that I told you these things when I was still with you?

But we must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the first fruits for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and through belief in the truth. For this purpose he called you through our proclamation of the good news, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by our letter.

Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and through grace gave us eternal comfort and good hope, comfort your hearts and strengthen them in every good work and word.

Luke 20:27-38

Some Sadducees, those who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus and asked him a question, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies, leaving a wife but no children, the man shall marry the widow and raise up children for his brother. Now there were seven brothers; the first married, and died childless; then the second and the third married her, and so in the same way all seven died childless. Finally the woman also died. In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For the seven had married her.”

Jesus said to them, “Those who belong to this age marry and are given in marriage; but those who are considered worthy of a place in that age and in the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage. Indeed they cannot die anymore, because they are like angels and are children of God, being children of the resurrection. And the fact that the dead are raised Moses himself showed, in the story about the bush, where he speaks of the Lord as the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Now he is God not of the dead, but of the living; for to him all of them are alive.”

Feast of All Saints

2nd November 2025

Reflection with readings below

All Saints tide is a time for celebrating what it is to be a holy community, a community shaped by God. It is a community that stretches back to the beginning of time when God first created living beings. It is a community that encompasses both past generations and the generations to come.

Each generation has in turn taken from and given back to the earth with the intention of passing on a better future for the generations to come.  Each generation has been guided by sages and prophets – by those who have learnt from the past,  by those who can see into the future and by those in tune with the wisdom of God. Not every generation has succeeded in passing on a better life to their offspring, but overtime we can see how life has improved for many people.

However now in the first few decades of the 21st century, human greed and folly – and to an extent – human ignorance, look set to hand onto our children and our children’s children, a much more depleted, more polluted, more damaged world than our parents handed onto us. 

Of the nine planetary boundaries that ensure a comfortable and sustainable existence, seven have been exceeded. In terms of climate change we are now heading for 2C of heating and ever increasing extreme weather events. In terms of the oceans, acidity levels and rising temperatures are already causing the bleaching of coral reefs. In terms of water systems, over extraction of ground water, shifting rainfall patterns and loss of glaciers is already leading to water shortages. Many parts of the world had seen significant losses of biodiversity which is leading to the collapse of ecosystems that maintain soil fertility, ensure clean air and water, pollinate crops etc. Of the various novel chemicals we have introduced, plastic nano particles are now to be found in very part of the planet from the icecaps of mountains to the bottom of ocean trenches, and even in the cells in our bodies. And all this is due to human activity. 

What is perhaps more distressing is that most people are either unaware or unconcerned about this! 

The Letter to the Ephesians talks about the inheritance we have received in Christ. The gospel that Jesus taught, the power of healing that he brought, the gifts of wisdom that he shared, weren’t just for that generation but for all generations. The gospel message is even today the hope of salvation, the hope that we can turn things around and hand on to the next generations a world that is being healed and restored. And we must make sure that that message is heard, that that wisdom is relearnt, and that the damage we have caused is healed. 

The words of today’s Gospel – the Beatitudes – is a reminder how far apart God’s ways and humanity’s ways have become. And how radically we must change direction. “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. Do to others as you would have them do to you.” 

How can we find ways of putting these directions into practice? How can we find ways – with stories and parables, with positive actions – to enthuse others to hear and respond? How can we transform a whole generation? The church,  as Jesus’s agents of change, has a lot of work to do! 

Let’s sing praises to God as we celebrate All Saints Tide, as we celebrate all who have gone before us. And let’s pray for God’s blessing as we determine to pass on a goodly inheritance to the generations to come.

Daniel 7:1-3,15-18

In the first year of King Belshazzar of Babylon, Daniel had a dream and visions of his head as he lay in bed. Then he wrote down the dream: I, Daniel, saw in my vision by night the four winds of heaven stirring up the great sea, and four great beasts came up out of the sea, different from one another. 

As for me, Daniel, my spirit was troubled within me, and the visions of my head terrified me. I approached one of the attendants to ask him the truth concerning all this. So he said that he would disclose to me the interpretation of the matter: “As for these four great beasts, four kings shall arise out of the earth. But the holy ones of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom for ever—for ever and ever.”

Psalm 149

1 Hallelujah!
Sing to the Lord a new song; *
sing his praise in the congregation of the faithful.

2 Let Israel rejoice in his Maker; *
let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.

3 Let them praise his Name in the dance; *
let them sing praise to him with timbrel and harp.

4 For the Lord takes pleasure in his people *
and adorns the poor with victory.

5 Let the faithful rejoice in triumph; *
let them be joyful on their beds.

6 Let the praises of God be in their throat *
and a two-edged sword in their hand;

7 To wreak vengeance on the nations *
and punishment on the peoples;

8 To bind their kings in chains *
and their nobles with links of iron;

9 To inflict on them the judgment decreed; *
this is glory for all his faithful people.
Hallelujah!

Ephesians 1:11-23

In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of his glory.

I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, and for this reason I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power. God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come. And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Luke 6:20-31

Jesus looked up at his disciples and said:

“Blessed are you who are poor,
for yours is the kingdom of God.

“Blessed are you who are hungry now,
for you will be filled. 

“Blessed are you who weep now,
for you will laugh. 

“Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets.” 

“But woe to you who are rich,
for you have received your consolation. 

“Woe to you who are full now,
for you will be hungry. 

“Woe to you who are laughing now,
for you will mourn and weep. 

“Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets.

“But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. Do to others as you would have them do to you.

Proper 25

26th October 2025

Reflection with readings below

The first  part of the Book of Joel (which we don’t hear today’s reading) tells of repeated plagues of locust that have destroyed the people’s crops. And of an invasion by foreign forces that has devastated the land, uprooting trees and vines so that there has been nothing to harvest. And of a drought that has caused trees and crops to shrivel and the field to lie in ruin. A severe drought  such that the rivers have dried up and wildfires have burnt the grass leaving the animals to waste away. Even the heavens have been troubled with solar and lunar eclipses darkening the sky. And so the priests and ministers of God had called for the people to look hard at themselves and their conduct, to acknowledge where they had done wrong – where they had gone against God – and to repent and seek God’s mercy.

But where all was destruction and anguish, today’s reading is full of encouragement and optimism. Joel speaks of a time to come when again there will be fruitfulness and flourishing, a time of plenty and of contentment. Joel knows how much the people are loved by God. He knows that God will not abandon the people but will show them mercy – a word that can be understood as loving kindness. And more specifically Joel tells the people that God will pour out God’s own spirit on them – they will be blessed!

The Psalmist writes with the same confidence, assuring God’s people that God does forgive our sins, that God does heal and restore us when we have made mistakes, that God does intend for us to live lives of peace and plenty, and that God does envisage a world where all of creation lives together in harmony and joyfulness.

And who wouldn’t want to live in such a world? 

Why then do we humans continue to the things that are wrong, that are destructive, that are unjust? Why do we pollute the atmosphere with excessive amounts of carbon dioxide? Why do we plunder the land destroying forests and draining the soil of its nutrients? Why do we let a select few enjoy excessive riches whilst standing by as the poorest and most vulnerable of our kin suffer hunger and illness and oppression?

Is it that we do not see ourselves as those who pollute and plunder and oppress? Do we look in the mirror and instead see ourselves as successful, as those able to look after our own families, as those who have been provident in ensuring a comfortable life for ourselves, as those who, being self sufficient, deservedly have access to quality health care and education, fresh food and overseas holidays? Do we see ourselves as those who have worked hard and wisely and have received no less than we deserve? Of course we give to charity. Of course we pay our taxes. Of course we go to church. We’re not heartless. Yes we do know that there are others less fortunate but they probably didn’t work hard enough. They sadly don’t live in a safe country – but that’s not our fault. Maybe they don’t live in a wealthy country – but again that’s not our fault. Maybe they didn’t benefit from a good education or health care system – but that’s probably because their government is corrupt. Maybe it’s because they live in countries where storms and floods are common place, where heat waves and droughts have become more extreme.

Surely none of this can be our fault? 

Well maybe yes; maybe in part. For even if it is not our personal fault, it is likely the fault of the systems within which we live – and from which we have benefited. Like the people Joel was addressing, we need to look at ourselves, our behaviour and the way our economies and society work, to acknowledge where they have gone wrong – where they had gone against God’s will – and to repent and seek God’s mercy. For if we find better ways of living, fairer systems of sharing and consuming resources, more equitable ways of meeting everyone’s needs, then as Joel envisaged, we can all live lives of fruitfulness and flourishing, of plenty and of contentment.

When we hear today”s parable we know that Jesus is calling us not to be like the self-satisfied, self-justifying figure. Rather Jesus wants us to seeking the satisfaction of all, and to be reliant on God’s loving kindness and wisdom. As Jesus’s followers we are called to this task of seeking out God’s will – finding the better ways of living together. We are called to call out injustice and to seek restitution for those affected. We are called to speak truth to those in power and challenge those who manipulate the truth. We are called to set an example by living lives that are not motivated by greed but by the desire to live lives that are fair and sustainable. 

We are Jesus’s agents for change. 

Joel 2:23-32

O children of Zion, be glad
and rejoice in the Lord your God; 

for he has given the early rain for your vindication,
he has poured down for you abundant rain,
the early and the later rain, as before. 

The threshing floors shall be full of grain,
the vats shall overflow with wine and oil. 

I will repay you for the years
that the swarming locust has eaten,

the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter,
my great army, which I sent against you. 

You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied,
and praise the name of the Lord your God,
who has dealt wondrously with you. 

And my people shall never again be put to shame.

You shall know that I am in the midst of Israel,
and that I, the Lord, am your God and there is no other. 

And my people shall never again
be put to shame.

Then afterward
I will pour out my spirit on all flesh; 

your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your old men shall dream dreams,
and your young men shall see visions.

Even on the male and female slaves,
in those days, I will pour out my spirit.

I will show portents in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and terrible day of the Lord comes. Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved; for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the Lord has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the Lord calls. 

Psalm 65

1 You are to be praised, O God, in Zion; *
to you shall vows be performed in Jerusalem.

2 To you that hear prayer shall all flesh come, *
because of their transgressions.

3 Our sins are stronger than we are, *
but you will blot them out.

4 Happy are they whom you choose
and draw to your courts to dwell there! *
they will be satisfied by the beauty of your house,
by the holiness of your temple.

5 Awesome things will you show us in your righteousness,
O God of our salvation, *
O Hope of all the ends of the earth
and of the seas that are far away.

6 You make fast the mountains by your power; *
they are girded about with might.

7 You still the roaring of the seas, *
the roaring of their waves,
and the clamour of the peoples.

8 Those who dwell at the ends of the earth will tremble at your marvellous signs; *
you make the dawn and the dusk to sing for joy.

9 You visit the earth and water it abundantly;
you make it very plenteous; *
the river of God is full of water.

10 You prepare the grain, *
for so you provide for the earth.

11 You drench the furrows and smooth out the ridges; *
with heavy rain you soften the ground and bless its increase.

12 You crown the year with your goodness, *
and your paths overflow with plenty.

13 May the fields of the wilderness be rich for grazing, *
and the hills be clothed with joy.

14 May the meadows cover themselves with flocks,
and the valleys cloak themselves with grain; *
let them shout for joy and sing.

2 Timothy 4:6-8,16-18

I am already being poured out as a libation, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. From now on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

At my first defence no one came to my support, but all deserted me. May it not be counted against them! But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and save me for his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Luke 18:9-14

Jesus told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, `God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, `God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other; for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Proper 24

19th October 2025

Reflection with readings below.

The prophet Jeremiah is passing on to the people God’s reassurance that there will come for them a time of peace and the rebuilding of their community – salvation – but that it will also be a time of judgement. Part of the process of the rebuilding will be understanding where they themselves have got it wrong. Then they will be ready to start over: God will give them a new heart.

Despite all the trauma God’s people have been going through,  including the realisation that Babylonian domination will be their burden for the long haul, and the realisation that their own folly has brought them to this place of desolation, Jeremiah is assuring them that God still loves them. 

But Jeremiah’s words – as well as offering us hope – are also a reminder that sometimes -often – our wrong doings and errors will impact not just us but generations to come. That is certainly true of our excessive consumption of the Earth’s resources  and our increasing emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. Without a doubt what we are handing onto the next generation is a severely depleted, damaged world.

Like Jeremiah’s contemporaries, we need new hearts so that we can reshape our lives to live simply and sustainably, to live in harmony with – rather than in the destruction of -the Earth’s precious environment. And not just us as individuals but our communities and  governments, businesses and global institutions, that all need new hearts. New hearts that will transform the way we live with each other, the way we share, restore and conserve resources. We need social and economic policies focused not on maximising profits but on maximising benefits for the common good. 

Why do we spend money on AI and other profit maximising actions,  that take peoples jobs away, and leave us living in a world where unemployment and poverty are increasing? Why do we not focus on creating meaningful jobs that give people a sense of value, that give the opportunity to be self supporting, and even give the ability to pay taxes?

We do we create trade deals that leave poorer nations struggling to provide their people with schools, medicines and education? That leave them even poorer and unable to invest in infrastructure to adapt to the onslaught of the climate crisis? And why then, having failed to address the global inequalities that trap such nations in the grasp of poverty, are we surprised that those of their citizens who can afford the cost, should seek to make new lives in the west?

Surely we have failed to learn from God that wisdom and knowledge which would shows us how to live in comfort and harmony with all our neighbours – human and nonhuman? The Psalmist and the writer of the letter to Timothy are clear that it is in the teachings of scripture and in knowledge of God’s words that we will learn how to live such lives. It is also clear that we can all benefit from good teachers – from prophets even – that can open up and unpack God’s wisdom, who can make God’s word alive for each generation, who are willing to be both persistent and patient in expounding this gospel. Teachers, preachers and prophets who can inspire and inform us, sharing  God’s vision for a better, blessed world.

In today’s gospel the key word is persistence. Here the virtue of persistence is linked to prayer – persistent prayer is a good thing. I am not sure that the words ascribed to Jesus really means that God is more likely to listen to our prayers if they are persistent – as in repeated endlessly. I don’t think God ignores prayers that aren’t endlessly repeated – that sounds too much as if we need to persuade God to listen. Rather I think it is that we have to be persistent in prayer because human frailty and/or stupidity means that the same need for prayer is going to reoccur time and again, and that having to raise issue as a topic of prayer should not dissuade us from raising that issue with God. Day in day out we will find ourselves needing to pray for peace, needing to pray for wisdom for our leaders, needing to pray for forgiveness for our own failures, needing to pray for  a change of course in the way we make use of/ abuse the Earth’s resources etc etc. Prayer is not just about words, it is about making those words into actions, into a changed heart. Persistent prayer is more then just persistent words but also persistent actions. It is about always walking the talk, regularly and repeatedly, until the change God desires happens.

Here persistence in prayer is about not giving up on hope for a better future. It is about being faithful rather than necessarily being successful. Faithful in the belief that God desires a better future for everyone, faithful in the belief that God believes that we humans can change and that we can be part of the process of salvation. So even if we find ourselves in a similar situation to Jeremiah, a situation where the future doesn’t look bright, we must be constant in believing that in God’s timescale there is a better future,  and be persistent in praying for what ever needs to change to get there.

Jeremiah 31:27-34

The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of humans and the seed of animals. And just as I have watched over them to pluck up and break down, to overthrow, destroy, and bring evil, so I will watch over them to build and to plant, says the Lord. In those days they shall no longer say:

“The parents have eaten sour grapes,
and the children’s teeth are set on edge.” 

But all shall die for their own sins; the teeth of everyone who eats sour grapes shall be set on edge.

The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant that I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt– a covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, says the Lord. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. No longer shall they teach one another, or say to each other, “Know the Lord,” for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the Lord; for I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more.

Psalm 119:97-104

97 Oh, how I love your law! *
all the day long it is in my mind.

98 Your commandment has made me wiser than my enemies, *
and it is always with me.

99 I have more understanding than all my teachers, *
for your decrees are my study.

100 I am wiser than the elders, *
because I observe your commandments.

101 I restrain my feet from every evil way, *
that I may keep your word.

102 I do not shrink from your judgments, *
because you yourself have taught me.

103 How sweet are your words to my taste! *
they are sweeter than honey to my mouth.

104 Through your commandments I gain understanding; *
therefore I hate every lying way.

2 Timothy 3:14-4:5

As for you, continue in what you have learned and firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it, and how from childhood you have known the sacred writings that are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.

In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I solemnly urge you: proclaim the message; be persistent whether the time is favourable or unfavourable; convince, rebuke, and encourage, with the utmost patience in teaching. For the time is coming when people will not put up with sound doctrine, but having itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own desires, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander away to myths. As for you, always be sober, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, carry out your ministry fully.

Luke 18:1-8

Jesus told his disciples a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people. In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, `Grant me justice against my opponent.’ For a while he refused; but later he said to himself, `Though I have no fear of God and no respect for anyone, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will grant her justice, so that she may not wear me out by continually coming.'” And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God grant justice to his chosen ones who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long in helping them? I tell you, he will quickly grant justice to them. And yet, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

Proper 23

12th October 2025

Reflection with readings below

The Victorian had differing views about the poor. There were the deserving poor – those who by ill chance not fecklessness had become poor and who wed good and honest people who,would make good use of your charity and would be eternally grateful. And there were the undeserving poor – those who had by laziness stupidity made themselves poor, who would squander any charity they received and would never utter a word of thanks. In fact that is an attitude that still exists today. In 2023, Jeremy Hunt, the then chancellor, spoke about ‘strivers and shirkers’.

Poverty arises for very many reasons, key among which are lack of opportunity – usually linked to inequalities of wealth –  a failure to understand specific needs and the systemic failure of society. This week Pope Leo wrote of the “many forms of poverty: the poverty of those who lack material means of subsistence, the poverty of those who are socially marginalised and lack the means to give voice to their dignity and abilities, moral and spiritual poverty, cultural poverty . . . the poverty of those who have no rights, no space, no freedom.” 

In today’s gospel we hear how ten lepers came to Jesus seeking healing. Jesus doesn’t question them to see which might be most deserving of his help. He doesn’t assess them to see which might make best use of his healing power. He doesn’t exclude from healing those who are not Jewish. He doesn’t even limit his healing to those who will be truly grateful.

Jesus’s healing is not limited to just some people some of the time, nor is it dependent on their righteousness or even their love of God. God’s love is offered to all without exception. To give, to share love, to desire the healing and wellbeing of all is the essential nature of God. Indeed God so loved the world that she gave her only Son for our salvation. 

When we consider the poor in our own country, when we consider the poor in Gaza and in Israel, when we consider the poor in North Sudan – when we hear their cry – we are called to respond with open hearts and purses, not limiting our love to those who look and think like us, to those we think are deserving of our concern. Indeed if we thought about it, healing just some of the wounds in the world will be to leave ourselves with a damaged world in which we too may then become victims.

The passage from Jeremiah is God’s message to those going into exile. Don’t just be good citizens in your own homes, in your own country, but be good citizens where ever you are. Don’t be good citizens just when you are the ones in power, but whatever your situation, whatever your environment, be good citizens, for only then will you protect the environment that sustains you. 

In the same way, not to care for the poor, is not to care for your own future and wellbeing. Yet so many of our economic and social systems, so many people (those in authority and those who are not) operate on the premise that hearing out for the cry of the poor – and the cry of the Earth – is not important, that spending the needs of the poor is a luxury when there is spare money, and that actually looking after number one is the key to survival. This is certainly not the gospel message! 

To finish, more words from Pope Leo: “The dignity of every human person must be respected today, not tomorrow, and the extreme poverty of all those to whom this dignity is denied should constantly weigh upon our consciences. . . Either we regain our moral and spiritual dignity or we fall into a cesspool”.

Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7

These are the words of the letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the remaining elders among the exiles, and to the priests, the prophets, and all the people, whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon.

Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.

Psalm 66:1-11

1 Be joyful in God, all you lands; *
sing the glory of his Name;
sing the glory of his praise.

2 Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds! *
because of your great strength your enemies cringe before you.

3 All the earth bows down before you, *
sings to you, sings out your Name.”

4 Come now and see the works of God, *
how wonderful he is in his doing toward all people.

5 He turned the sea into dry land,
so that they went through the water on foot, *
and there we rejoiced in him.

6 In his might he rules for ever;
his eyes keep watch over the nations; *
let no rebel rise up against him.

7 Bless our God, you peoples; *
make the voice of his praise to be heard;

8 Who holds our souls in life, *
and will not allow our feet to slip.

9 For you, O God, have proved us; *
you have tried us just as silver is tried.

10 You brought us into the snare; *
you laid heavy burdens upon our backs.

11 You let enemies ride over our heads;
we went through fire and water; *
but you brought us out into a place of refreshment.

2 Timothy 2:8-15

Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, a descendant of David– that is my gospel, for which I suffer hardship, even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But the word of God is not chained. Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, so that they may also obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. The saying is sure:

If we have died with him, we will also live with him;
if we endure, we will also reign with him;
if we deny him, he will also deny us;
if we are faithless, he remains faithful–
for he cannot deny himself.

Remind them of this, and warn them before God that they are to avoid wrangling over words, which does no good but only ruins those who are listening. Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved by him, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly explaining the word of truth.

Luke 17:11-19

On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee. As he entered a village, ten lepers approached him. Keeping their distance, they called out, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” When he saw them, he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were made clean. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. He prostrated himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus asked, “Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well.”

Proper 22 16th Sunday after Trinity 

5th October 2025

Reflection with readings below

Habakkuk faces a world in which everything seems to be going awry. All he sees is violence and wrong doing, destruction and the failure of justice. He cries out to God and it seems as if God is not listening. How true does that feel today? Do we not feel like giving up? Giving up on the world where everything seems to be set against doing what is right? Giving up in a world where God seems absent? Can we nevertheless be like Habakkuk and stay in post, keeping up the watch, and wait on God’s word?

How did Habakkuk manage to stay strong? Because he had faith. He had a faith that came out of the close relationship he had with God – “the righteous live by their faith”.

Habakkuk and the Psalmist must have had great patience. They seem to be able accept that they must wait for justice to prevail without any idea of the timescale involved; that they must maintain this patient waiting without not get angry or frustrated! I don’t think we even know if Habakkuk saw the return of peace to the land. He wrote in the period between the  conquest of Nineveh which presaged the end of the Assyrian Empire and before the final conquest of Jerusalem by the Babylonians. Certainly he couldn’t have lived to see the rebuilding of Jerusalem.

So how the do we respond to the words of Jesus in the Gospel: “If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, `Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.”?

What is faith and where does it come from? Synonyms for faith include trust, confidence, credence, conviction, hope, belief, expectation, hopefulness, optimism and assurance. The word faith has a strong connection with religious or spiritual belief although it is also used to describe the relationship a servant and their master, between a knight and their Lord, between a partisan and their political leader – or political creed. Faith it would seem is about relationships. For Habakkuk it was the relationship between the righteous and God. For  Christians, faith is, I think, our relationship with God that has developed through our relationship with Jesus. 

Where does it come from? It’s certainly not something you can buy! Nor is it something you just stumble across.  Rather I think it is something that we all have as a gift from God. We understand God to be the creator – the source point – of all that lives. And we understand that God blessed all that she created, and I would suggest that in both creating and blessing us, God has placed in each of us a seed of faith – one that can never die. On the other hand we each have in our own ways the capacity to enable that seed to flourish enabling our relationship with God to depend and expand – or we can suppress and hide it and try and ignore any relationship with God. (Last week I spoke about the close relationship that prophets have with God).

I’m not sure about faith that can uproot a tree and plant it in the sea but that maybe a hyperbole challenging us to be amazed at what faith can achieve. 

Yesterday was the feast of St Francis. During one of the crusades, Francis through his deep faith and his belief that war was contri to God’s will, set out for Damietta where the Crusaders and the Muslims forces were battling with one another in an attempt to secure control of the Holy Land.  With only one companion Francis set off on foot for the Sultan’a camp, crossing no-man’s land, with the hope of speaking with the Sultan and  finding a basis for peace. His faith – a faith that says continue against the odds because God is with you – took him right to the Sultan’s tent. Whether because of his humility, or his determination or maybe because of his poor and bedraggle appearance,  Sultan spoke with Francis. Whilst the outcome wasn’t peace, the Sultan acquired a new respect for this small Christian figure and granted him safe passage back home. 

This week a flotilla of little sailing boats reached the waters off Gaza. These boats were crewed by volunteers from around the world who had faith that what ever one does, doing what is right is more important than doing what is safe or tactful, and who had determined to address the painfully acute shortages being faced by the people on Gaza by taking medicines and baby milk and other essentials supplies across the Mediterranean and into Gaza, regardless of the Israeli blockade and the attacks they received on the way (also likely from Israeli forces). They arrived off the coast of Gaza on Thursday morning to be blasted by water canon and surrounded by Israeli vessels who then boarded the boats and arrested all the crew.

As yet we don’t know what the long term impact of the flotilla will be but it has sparked many voices of protest and outrage across the world at what the Israeli government is continuing to do in terrorising the people of Gaza. 

Over the last ten days 6 people have been on trial for climbing on motorway gantries in 2023 which they did to highlight the climate crisis and the lack of an adequate response by those in authority. They too have a faith that, what ever one does, doing what is right is more important than doing what is safe or what is popular. In the knowledge that the current trajectory of the world is for at least 2, and possibly more, degrees of warming – which will cause even more suffering with increased risks of floods, droughts, wild fires, crop failures and heat waves – they were not willing to sit back and do nothing while more and more people risk loss of homes and livelihoods and death. At the outset the judge ruled that there were no legal defences that they could use – not even the defence of necessity in the face of a greater threat. All six spoken eloquently and from the heart, remaining faithful to the cause of what is right. All six were found guilty. 

As Mother Theresa said, we “aren’t called to be successful; we’re called to be faithful”.

Like Habakkuk we cannot not remain faithful even when things are going awry, when the future looks impossible, nor even when our chances of ‘success’ are pitiful. We can’t always see the bigger picture. We can’t always see what lies ahead of us. But we do know we can always faithfully do that which is  asked of us: to love mercy, to seek justice and to walk humbly with God.

The Book of Habakkuk ends with these verses: 

Though the fig tree does not blossom,

    and no fruit is on the vines;

though the produce of the olive fails

    and the fields yield no food;

though the flock is cut off from the fold

    and there is no herd in the stalls,

yet I will rejoice in the Lord;

    I will exult in the God of my salvation.

God, the Lord, is my strength;

    he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,

    and makes me tread upon the heights. Habakkuk 3:17-19

Habakkuk 1:1-4, 2:1-4

The oracle that the prophet Habakkuk saw.

O Lord, how long shall I cry for help,
and you will not listen? 

Or cry to you “Violence!”
and you will not save? 

Why do you make me see wrong-doing
and look at trouble? 

Destruction and violence are before me;
strife and contention arise.

So the law becomes slack
and justice never prevails.

The wicked surround the righteous–
therefore judgment comes forth perverted.

I will stand at my watchpost,
and station myself on the rampart; 

I will keep watch to see what he will say to me,
and what he will answer concerning my complaint. 

Then the Lord answered me and said:

Write the vision;
make it plain on tablets,
so that a runner may read it.

For there is still a vision for the appointed time;
it speaks of the end, and does not lie. 

If it seems to tarry, wait for it;
it will surely come, it will not delay.

Look at the proud!
Their spirit is not right in them,
but the righteous live by their faith.

Psalm 37:1-10

1 Do not fret yourself because of evildoers; *
do not be jealous of those who do wrong.

2 For they shall soon wither like the grass, *
and like the green grass fade away.

3 Put your trust in the Lord and do good; *
dwell in the land and feed on its riches.

4 Take delight in the Lord, *
and he shall give you your heart’s desire.

5 Commit your way to the Lord and put your trust in him, *
and he will bring it to pass.

6 He will make your righteousness as clear as the light *
and your just dealing as the noonday.

7 Be still before the Lord *
and wait patiently for him.

8 Do not fret yourself over the one who prospers, *
the one who succeeds in evil schemes.

9 Refrain from anger, leave rage alone; *
do not fret yourself; it leads only to evil.

10 For evildoers shall be cut off, *
but those who wait upon the Lord shall possess the land.

2 Timothy 1:1-14

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, for the sake of the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus,

To Timothy, my beloved child:

Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

I am grateful to God– whom I worship with a clear conscience, as my ancestors did– when I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. Recalling your tears, I long to see you so that I may be filled with joy. I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that lived first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, lives in you. For this reason I remind you to rekindle the gift of God that is within you through the laying on of my hands; for God did not give us a spirit of cowardice, but rather a spirit of power and of love and of self-discipline.

Do not be ashamed, then, of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner, but join with me in suffering for the gospel, relying on the power of God, who saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace. This grace was given to us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Saviour Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. For this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher, and for this reason I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know the one in whom I have put my trust, and I am sure that he is able to guard until that day what I have entrusted to him. Hold to the standard of sound teaching that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. Guard the good treasure entrusted to you, with the help of the Holy Spirit living in us.

Luke 17:5-10

The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” The Lord replied, “If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, `Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.

“Who among you would say to your slave who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field, `Come here at once and take your place at the table’? Would you not rather say to him, `Prepare supper for me, put on your apron and serve me while I eat and drink; later you may eat and drink’? Do you thank the slave for doing what was commanded? So you also, when you have done all that you were ordered to do, say, `We are worthless slaves; we have done only what we ought to have done!'”