change – The Green Tau

Third Sunday After Epiphany

25th January 2026

Reflection with readings below

Two of our readings have the prophecy that ‘the people who walked/ sat in darkness have seen a great light’. A prophecy of salvation or of awakening(which might be the same thing). It speaks of change – significant change – for the people. It may even be talking of systemic change – ie that they way in which things happen, the way in which they are done, is completely changed from top to bottom, from root to branch. And that surely is likely, because Jesus’s gospel is one of complete change. Certainly it was a complete change for the four fishermen who join Jesus in sharing the gospel.

When we look around the world today the need for change is obvious but it is hard to know where to start.

We have war and violence and the threat of war and violence. Arming the opposing sides doesn’t end the violence. But maybe solidarity – presenting a unified diplomatic front, enacting boycotts etc – does.

We can discern the roots of war and conflict in water shortages, in food shortages, in the impact of climate change that makes environments inhabitable – but also in corruption, misinformation and the abuse of power.

The Earth does have enough resources to feed the world population but it needs resources to be diverted from livestock to humans – ie growing protein rich plants for humans to eat not for captive animals. It needs changes in income distribution so that everyone can afford to buy the food – and we need income redistribution to prevent a small number of individuals cornering the vast proportion of the world’s wealth.

As regards fresh water we are in a crisis, globally we are using fresh water faster than it can be replenished by the natural systems of convection and precipitation. In scientific parlance we have breached a planetary boundary vis a vis fresh water. We need to limit consumption – which again goes back to changing what we eat and the way we farm, but also to the technologies we use – AI is greedy consumer of water – the clothes we wear cotton in particular consumes vast quantities of water, whilst the processing of fabrics is also water intensive. We compound many problems by prematurely discarding what we have bought.

Another planetary boundary we have crossed is that of biodiversity. In its diminished state it does not support the ecosystems that we rely on. And another boundary crossed is the amount of greenhouse gases we are pumping out into the atmosphere and which are causing the increasing incidence of extreme weather events.

If this all seems impossible to address, you’re not alone! But let us hear the message that Jesus brought: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” Jesus took the message to the people around him, telling them parables, healing those who were sick, paying attention to what people needed, teaching them of the power of loving one another.

To follow Jesus can mean to completely uproot and transform our lives as did the fishermen. Or it can mean to completely transform our lives and stay put as it did for for Mary and Martha and Lazarus, or for the man called Legion, or for Peter’s mother-in-law. Transforming our lives in situ is probably a life’s work: how in each situation can we be more loving, how in each part of the day can we be open to God’s presence, how can we support each other in the fellowship of the Spirit? But we can. We have the resources – our Christian communities, our prayer life, reading the Bible and learning from the insights of others, from the strength and comfort of God, from the example of Jesus, from gaining knowledge of the natural world, of the possibilities of diplomacy and alternative economics, of new and old technologies, of the power of love and hope.

A different world is possible, the kingdom of heaven is near at hand.

Isaiah 9:1-4

There will be no gloom for those who were in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he will make glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.

The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;

those who lived in a land of deep darkness–
on them light has shined.

You have multiplied the nation,
you have increased its joy;

they rejoice before you
as with joy at the harvest,
as people exult when dividing plunder.

For the yoke of their burden,
and the bar across their shoulders,
the rod of their oppressor,
you have broken as on the day of Midian.

Psalm 27:1, 5-13

1 The Lord is my light and my salvation;
whom then shall I fear? *
the Lord is the strength of my life;
of whom then shall I be afraid?

5 One thing have I asked of the Lord;
one thing I seek; *
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life;

6 To behold the fair beauty of the Lord *
and to seek him in his temple.

7 For in the day of trouble he shall keep me safe in his shelter; *
he shall hide me in the secrecy of his dwelling
and set me high upon a rock.

8 Even now he lifts up my head *
above my enemies round about me.

9 Therefore I will offer in his dwelling an oblation
with sounds of great gladness; *
I will sing and make music to the Lord.

10 Hearken to my voice, O Lord, when I call; *
have mercy on me and answer me.

11 You speak in my heart and say, “Seek my face.” *
Your face, Lord, will I seek.

12 Hide not your face from me, *
nor turn away your servant in displeasure.

13 You have been my helper;
cast me not away; *
do not forsake me, O God of my salvation.

1 Corinthians 1:10-18

Now I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you be in agreement and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same purpose. For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there are quarrels among you, my brothers and sisters. What I mean is that each of you says, “I belong to Paul,” or “I belong to Apollos,” or “I belong to Cephas,” or “I belong to Christ.” Has Christ been divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptised in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptised none of you except Crispus and Gaius, so that no one can say that you were baptised in my name. (I did baptise also the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know whether I baptised anyone else.) For Christ did not send me to baptise but to proclaim the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its power.

For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Matthew 4:12-23

When Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:

“Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali,
on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—

the people who sat in darkness
have seen a great light,

and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death
light has dawned.”

From that time Jesus began to proclaim, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”

As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.

Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people.

Prayers for New Year’s Eve

31st December 2025

The heavens proclaim his righteousness; and all the peoples behold his glory. Light dawns for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart. Psalm 97:6,11

Let’s seek God with all our heart
Amen. Christ be our still-point.
Let’s seek God with all our soul
Amen. Christ be our vision.
Let’s seek God with all our mind
Amen. Christ be our wisdom.
Let’s seek God with all our strength
Amen. Christ be our souls’ companion.

(Adapted from Our Common Prayer)

A reading from Daniel 7:9-10

While I was looking, thrones were put in place. One who had been living forever sat down on one of the thrones. His clothes were white as snow, and his hair was like pure wool. His throne, mounted on fiery wheels, was blazing with fire, and a stream of fire was pouring out from it. There were many thousands of people there to serve him, and millions of people stood before him. The court began its session, and the books were opened.

Year’s End

As the old year turns to the new,

as days past give way to days to come

there is time for remembering and for hoping,

for forgiving and for planning.

It is a time of reckoning,

a time to open the books

and review the record.

Has the year past profited the poor?

Have the rich relinquished their wealth?

Have the young been uplifted

– and the old respected?

Have strangers been welcomes

– and outsiders embraced?

Have resources been equitably garnered

– and shared?

Have soils been replenished

– and water supplies restored?

Has the number of endangered species reduced

– and the number of wild habitats increased?

How will future generations judge us?

How will the earth reward us

or punish us?

Is there time for amendment?

Is there yet time

to rebalance the accounts?

God of all time and space, God of eternity and mercy,

draw a line under what has happened –

and yet show us, again, how to start over,

to make good what we have destroyed,

to replenish the world with love,

to live wisely, in harmony, in unity

with one another and with you.

Pause to reflect

As one year ends, let us give thanks for all that has been good:

For the establishing of a Just Transition Work Programme at COP30,

For the coming together of the National Emergency Briefing,

For the activists who have made the well-being of the planet a world priority;

For conservation and re-wilding projects that restore life to the earth;

For the individuals who have switched to more sustainable lifestyles;

For businesses who have focus on ethics above profits;

For churches and faith communities who celebrated creation-tide.

As a new year begins, we pray for renewed commitment by

Leaders and peoples,

Activists and individuals

Conservationists and farmers

Businesses and investors

Churches and faith communities.

As we make new year resolutions,

we ask for vision and strength that we may determined

to live and work together,

to cherish the earth,

to protect its flora and fauna,

and ensure an equal sharing of opportunities and resources.

The Grace

Advent – in the bleak mid winter

20th December 2025

In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan, Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone; Christina Rossetti

You Lord, are the source of all good things:

We praise you.

You call us to tend and care for your creation:

May we strive to do your will.

You have made us as brothers and sisters with all that lives:

May we live together in peace.

A reading from Isaiah 55:10-11

“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,

And do not return there without watering the earth

And making it bear and sprout,

And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater;

So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth;

It will not return to Me empty,

Without accomplishing what I desire,

And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.

Response

Winter, the fallow season,

prepares the land for spring.

The small seed lies dormant

lest the cold freeze its vulnerable growth.

But in due time what is small will swell,

what is vulnerable will gain strength,

and what is hidden will bloom forth.

Winter, the fallow season

is when we prepare for spring.

Waiting,

but gaining strength,

patiently building networks of support.

Confident that the Word in us

will accomplish God’s desire.

In the bleak winter Lord,

We pray for those who feel they have no hope,

for those who anticipate a Christmas without joy.

We give thanks for all who ease their pain and desolation.

We give thanks for those who offer time and money with generosity.

Open our hearts that we too may be givers.

In the bleak winter Lord,

We pray for birds and animals seeking food and warmth,

for wildlife threatened by human greed and ignorance.

We give thanks for all who stand up for the rights of creation.

We give thanks for all who offer time and money with generosity.

Open our hearts that we too may be givers.

In the bleak winter Lord,

We pray for all affected by systems that fail to deliver,

systems corrupted by prejudice, selfishness and complacency.

We give thanks for all who stand up for the rights of others,

who challenge the status quo and seek a better world.

Open our hearts that we too may act for change.

Lord God, unfreeze frozen hearts,

bring new life to hearts of stone,

and work in us and all your creation

the transformative power of you Word.

May your will be done!

Amen.

Easter Thoughts

20th April 2025

If each day we are called to walk just that day’s journey with the cross (see Good Friday’s reflection*), then Easter Day is the day we remember and celebrate that we do not walk alone. That Jesus is with us , that Jesus has been there before us, has been where it is dark and constricted, has felt abandoned, has fought with demons, and has come through victorious. And as we are told in the Gospels, Jesus goes on ahead before us.

My mother is currently recovering from the after effects of delirium, and at times she has difficulty rationalising her thoughts, and at others difficulty in preventing her mind from overthinking problems. One thing in particular that she struggles with is time. Nothing around her seems to change. She wakes up in the same bedroom, the same books and cards on the window sill, the same clothes hanging on the hook – even the same orange she hasn’t yet eaten. Is this a new day or is it still the same day when she went to sleep? How can she tell whether time has passed if nothing has changed?

That is sometimes how I feel about Easter. Every year we celebrate Easter, celebrating that Jesus has risen from the dead, that through the resurrection we are raised to new life, that this is the beginning of the new age – Easter is the eighth day. But does anything change? Is life suddenly better now Easter Day has dawned? Are people suddenly kinder and more loving, living the new resurrection life?

Did anything change that first Easter morning? Did the Roman soldiers and tax gathers, suddenly up-sticks and depart? Did the temple authorities suddenly down tools and invite everyone into the temple to worship God without hindrance? Did people suddenly look and see their neighbour’s poverty and share all they had?

And yet something did change, gradually, step by step. People began to experience Jesus’s presence in new ways. People did form new communities where they made welcome those who would have previously been rejected. People did take Jesus’s gospel and preach the good news far and wide. And throughout history we have seen people – people who have been inspired by Jesus – do amazing things: working for justice, working for peace, working to overcome poverty, working to protect the earth, sacrificing their own lives for others.

When the Israelites ate the first Passover meal, hurriedly escaped from the narrow place that was slavery under the oppressive power of the pharaoh, and reached the relative safety of the far shore of the Red Sea, they sang and danced and praised God. And they were instructed to mark that event every year, eating a special meal and remembering the events of that night. That celebrating and remembering has continued year in year out – through good times and bad – as a way of marking time even when it seems that nothing is changing, and reminding themselves that God is and will always be with them.

When we work through Lent, when we re-enact the events of Holy Week, when we celebrate Easter, we are in part remembering the Passover – the power and wisdom of God that enables people to escape the constrictions of narrow places and to find freedom – but we are most particularly remembering that Jesus – who is also God – has walked this way before us. That Jesus – who is also God – knows what it is to be human, to have limited amounts of energy and strength. That Jesus – who is also God – has experienced that one thing we fear most – death – and has the personal experience to assure is that it is not the end. That Jesus – because he is also God, promises to be with us always and everywhere.

And even if it doesn’t feel as if anything has changed since last year, we celebrate Easter as a way of marking time and that God is still and will always be with us. And if we look and take note, we will see that there are always signs of new life around us. The world that the creator God has given us is a gift that keeps on giving.

This year I despaired that the vine that had given us so much fruit over the years, had died; the crinkled branches with peeling bark remained bare, no sign of life despite the wealth of spring flowers in the rest of the garden. I resigned myself to the task of buying a new plant. Then just this week I noticed the first small green shoots bursting through the old bark!

Christ is risen!” – “He is risen indeed, Alleluia!

* https://greentau.org/2025/04/18/good-friday-thoughts/

Counting on … Lent 28

11th April 2025

“Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.” Proverb 6:6-8

Here perhaps is an invitation to consider the very many different ways in which communities can organise their affairs. Autocracies, monopolies and patriarchies are not the only options. Cooperative and democratic alternatives offer more to all participants in terms of equality and justice. Indeed the prophets tell us that God does envisage radical change.

“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”. Isaiah 11:6

Advent 23: all change!

Change is an inevitable part of life, but sometimes that change can be completely radical – a new direction of travel – requiring new ways of doing things, seeing things and of understanding. That was the case for Mary and Joseph, for the magi, perhaps even for the shepherds. It was certainly so for the disciples who first followed Jesus. It was certainly so for St Paul. And I am sure it is – or is to be – so for us.

The LORD said to Abram: Leave your country, your family, and your relatives and go to the land that I will show you. Genesis 12:1

An angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.’ When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. Matthew 1:20-21,24

And when they had brought their boats ashore, they left everything and followed Him. Luke 5:11

Advent 5: Watch out! bend ahead!

Not all paths are straight, and life is nor always straight forward. Sometimes a change in direction is what we need.

Then the LORD said to me, You have been traveling around this mountain country long enough. Turn northward. Deuteronomy 2:2-3

And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. Matthew 2:12

Counting on … day 201

28th October 2024

From the foreword to Ethical Consumer’s ‘Closing the Gap 2024’, “This report acknowledges the millions of small changes individuals are making which collectively yield bigger benefits. That can be tweaks to your diet or transport choices, reducing food waste or changing how you heat your home – there’s a cumulative power of many small actions!

“Another small action lies in the power we all hold to ask companies about their climate obligations. And if you’re not satisfied with their answers, you have the power to take your customers elsewhere.”

https://www.ethicalconsumer.org/sites/default/files/media-file/2024-10/Climate-Gap-2024 -report-Ethical-Consumer-2.pdf

The changing seasons

7th September 2024

And God said, ‘Let there be lights in the dome of the sky to separate the day from the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years – Genesis 1:14

A reading from Isaiah 55: 9-11

For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.

For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,
and do not return there until they have watered the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,

so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

A response: change happens

A drop of water

falls.

Drip.

Another.

Drip.

Drip, drop – more fall.

The drip becomes a trickle;

Drip, drip, drop -.

the trickle a stream.

The stream becomes a river,

a down pour, a torrent –

surge, rush, roar.

A flood begins with just a drip.

Snow.

Sun on snow.

A little warmth,

a little melting.

A moment of easing,

loosening,

a shifting of weight.

gathering momentum –

And whoosh!

A million tonnes of speeding snow.

An avalanche begins with just one flake.

A swallow

perched on the telephone wire,

testers slightly.

Now or later?

One swallow, two.

Another, three. Sway.

Now or later?

Four, six;

Eight, ten. Now?

Gather, check, sense the air.

Now? Now!

Up, and away,

wings beat, compass set,

off –

fare well.

Where one or two are gathered,

change begins.

May God bless our endeavours.

Pentecost

18th May 2024

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 2 Corinthians 3:17

Sovereign God,

set your people free from the aggression of war;

set your people free from the pains of hunger;

set your people free from the addiction of greed;

set your people free from the entrapment of consumerism;

set your people free from their blinkered incomprehension of the climate crisis.

Grant us instead the freedom

of understanding that comes from your Holy, life-giving, Spirit.

Amen.

A reading from Isaiah 32:14 -17 (The Message)

The royal palace is deserted,
    the bustling city quiet as a morgue,
The emptied parks and playgrounds
    taken over by wild animals,
    delighted with their new home.

Yes, weep and grieve until the Spirit is poured
    down on us from above
And the badlands desert grows crops
    and the fertile fields become forests.
Justice will move into the badlands desert.
    Right will build a home in the fertile field.
And where there’s Right, there’ll be Peace
    and the progeny of Right: quiet lives and endless trust.
My people will live in a peaceful neighbourhood—
    in safe houses, in quiet gardens.
The forest of your pride will be clear-cut,
    the city showing off your power levelled.
But you will enjoy a fortunate life,
    planting well-watered fields and gardens,
    with your farm animals grazing freely.

Pentecost Spirit,

taking breath over creation,

drawing life out of chaos.