Tag: God

First Sunday in Lent

9th March 2025

Reflection with readings below 

How do we honour God? What is it to honour someone? 

To show respect, to acknowledge worth, to show loyalty. But that sounds too cold, too inadequate a response if we are talking of God. To honour God, is to worship – to show in words and deeds God’s worthiness. To honour God, is to want to do those things that please God, and to strive daily to effect the same. To honour God, is to put God first and foremost in our lives. To honour God, is to reflect God’s love for us and so to love God with all our being, all our mind, all our heart and all our strength. And if we are attempting to mirror God’s love, then we must likewise try to mirror God’s unceasing, limitless love for all that God creates.

To sin is to dishonour God. To sin is swerve away from loving God, to avoid doing that which pleases God, to deliberately not love that which God loves. 

Temptation is that which tries to get between us and God. Temptation holds up, as it were, a hoarding that blocks our view of God. Temptation holds up, as it were, a mirror so that we see not God but ourselves. Temptation is that which eats away at and tries to destroy our relationship with God. Temptation offers us alternative ‘gods’ to honour – money, self aggrandisement, fame, power etc. Temptation tells us that not honouring God is perfectly OK, in fact it’s quite normal. Temptation lets apathy – I can’t make a difference so there’s no point trying – and/ or selfishness, become a lifestyle choice. 

It feels like temptation is all around us, tied up in the systems in which live. We are encouraged from our earlier years to do well which morphs into be the best, do better than everyone else. Life becomes a competition in the classroom, on the playing field, in the playground – who has the best friends? School becomes part of the competitive trials for employment but it is not just what you learn and how well, but who you know – do you have access to the best contacts? 

And work is competitive and sometimes destructive as those with more power oppress those without. And the work environment tells us that success is about money: the more you’re paid the better you are. And work and status say look after number one; don’t get sidetracked by ‘fluffy’ things such as helping others or caring for the environment. 

And businesses want to win; to be bigger and better than their competitors. Investors want to win; to play the markets and come out top; to gain the biggest returns; to gamble and win – and usually managing to pass the risk onto someone else. Businesses always follow the profits regardless of any impact on society and/ or the environment.

And political parties want to win; they want to win this election and the next. It becomes a game: what to write in the manifesto to get the votes and what to offer big businesses to get the funds. They want to be popular with those with the most power.

And within these systems it can be very hard not be overcome by the temptation to switch off our focus on God. It is easy to get sucked into the system because playing the games seems the best way to keep up with everyone else. And it is easy to feel swamped – how do we as individuals swim against the tide that is everyday life?

Today’s readings may give some pointers:-

Being thankful and acknowledging that what we have – be that the first of the harvest or our weekly pay – is a gift from God. Without God we would have nothing – in fact without God we would not exist.

Being thankful and acknowledge the times when God has helped us cope with difficult situations or has shown us ways out of a tight place.

Acknowledging that God does not approve of affliction and oppression – and therefore reminding ourselves that we too shouldn’t support affliction and oppression .

Celebrating and sharing with others – including aliens – the bounty of what we do have.

Placing our trust in God.

Believing in – and therefore following the example of – Jesus. 

Acknowledging that no one is beyond the loving reach of God, no matter who they are or what they have done.

Knowing and being well read, about the scriptures.

Being patient. 

Being faithful.

Deuteronomy 26:1-11

When you have come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance to possess, and you possess it, and settle in it, you shall take some of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you harvest from the land that the Lord your God is giving you, and you shall put it in a basket and go to the place that the Lord your God will choose as a dwelling for his name. You shall go to the priest who is in office at that time, and say to him, “Today I declare to the Lord your God that I have come into the land that the Lord swore to our ancestors to give us.” When the priest takes the basket from your hand and sets it down before the altar of the Lord your God, you shall make this response before the Lord your God: “A wandering Aramean was my ancestor; he went down into Egypt and lived there as an alien, few in number, and there he became a great nation, mighty and populous. When the Egyptians treated us harshly and afflicted us, by imposing hard labour on us, we cried to the Lord, the God of our ancestors; the Lord heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. The Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with a terrifying display of power, and with signs and wonders; and he brought us into this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. So now I bring the first of the fruit of the ground that you, O Lord, have given me.” You shall set it down before the Lord your God and bow down before the Lord your God. Then you, together with the Levites and the aliens who reside among you, shall celebrate with all the bounty that the Lord your God has given to you and to your house.

Psalm 91:1-2, 9-16

1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High, *
abides under the shadow of the Almighty.

2 He shall say to the Lord,
“You are my refuge and my stronghold, *
my God in whom I put my trust.” 

9 Because you have made the Lord your refuge, *
and the Most High your habitation,

10 There shall no evil happen to you, *
neither shall any plague come near your dwelling.

11 For he shall give his angels charge over you, *
to keep you in all your ways.

12 They shall bear you in their hands, *
lest you dash your foot against a stone.

13 You shall tread upon the lion and adder; *
you shall trample the young lion and the serpent under your feet.

14 Because he is bound to me in love,
therefore will I deliver him; *
I will protect him, because he knows my Name.

15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him; *
I am with him in trouble;
I will rescue him and bring him to honour.

16 With long life will I satisfy him, *
and show him my salvation.

Romans 10:8b-13

“The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart” 

(that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved. The scripture says, “No one who believes in him will be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and is generous to all who call on him. For, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Luke 4:1-13

After his baptism, Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over, he was famished. The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.” Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘One does not live by bread alone.'”

Then the devil led him up and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And the devil said to him, “To you I will give their glory and all this authority; for it has been given over to me, and I give it to anyone I please. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” Jesus answered him, “It is written,

‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.'” 

Then the devil took him to Jerusalem, and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple, saying to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written,

‘He will command his angels concerning you, to protect you,’ 

and

‘On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.'” 

Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'” When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time.

Counting on … Lent 3

7th March 2025

“Then God said, “Let the earth put forth vegetation: plants yielding seed, and fruit trees of every kind on earth that bear fruit with the seed in it.” And it was so. The earth brought forth vegetation: plants yielding seed of every kind, and trees of every kind bearing fruit with the seed in it. And God saw that it was good.” Genesis 1:11-12

Genesis tells us what science tells us: that the world has the inbuilt capacity to generate life. The world is life giving, life producing. We are part of that created being so we too have the capacity to be life giving. Celebrating and embracing and better appreciating this gift enhances our relationship with God the ultimate creator.

Counting on … Lent 2

6th March 2025

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being.” John 1:1-3a

There is no existence – no life – that exists outside of the totality that is God. To deepen our relationship with God is to deepen our understanding of life – and therefore nature. This feels like a good starting point to appreciate the loving mercy of God and God’s everlasting commitment to life

Counting on … day 45

4th March 2025

Shrove Tuesday is a day for being shriven but what does that word mean? The verb shrive comes from the Old English scrifan “assign, prescribe, ordain, decree; impose penance, hear confession; have regard for, care for,” (and curiously its original meaning was “to write” (strong, past tense scraf, past participle scrifen) – https://www.etymonline.com/word/shrove

As we approach Ash Wednesday and the season of Lent confessing our sins and being prescribed (possibly self-prescribed) an appropriate penance, is probably our best understanding of the word. Shrove Tuesday (or in this day and age, Ash Wednesday) is a good day to reflect how we can clean the slate, make a fresh start, and clear away away what stops us from loving God and loving our neighbour. In reality a process that could take all of Lent and probably a lifetime too  – but Lent is a good place to start. 

During Lent I plan to use the Counting on blog entries to ponder how we can rebuild those relationships through the Book of scripture and the Book of nature – God’s inspired word and God’s inspired activity.

Third Sunday after Epiphany

26th January 2025

Reflection with Readings below

We are still in the season of Epiphany – a word that means to reveal or make manifest. In today’s passage from the Hebrew Testament we hear that Ezra, having called together all the people of God, reads to them the Law of Moses. This is a community of those who have returned from exile to rebuild Jerusalem – maybe it is the first time they have heard these words spoke in this holy city. They are overwhelmed by what these words reveals to them about God – God’s glory and God’s wisdom. It is an epiphany moment for them.

In today’s psalm it is creation that is revelling in and revealing the glory of God. And as in the words read by Ezra, it is the wonder of God’s law that is celebrated. Maybe creation is more consistent in praising God than we fickle humans.

Echoing the reading from the Hebrew Testament, the gospel tells of Jesus standing up to read the scripture to the people. It is a passage that reveals Jesus’ mission  – his calling – that he is the fulfilment of God’s will, that he is the one who will reveal to us the good news of God’s favour, not just through words but through action. Was this also an epiphany moment for his listeners?

If we were to read on we would hear how the people in the synagogue were amazed but also puzzled: wasn’t Jesus Joseph’s son yet here he was saying he was the fulfilment of Isaiah’s prophesy? And they  try and kill him. Is the truth too overwhelming for them to accept? Is it too impossible for them to believe that one of them – the carpenter’s son – is the messiah? 

Is that puzzlement, that unwillingness to accept what is revealed, what lies at the heart of Paul’s parable? Maybe some of the people in the church at Corinth find it hard to accept that a slave or a gentile – or a woman? – can be just as important, just as special as themselves. Or maybe some of the people in the church in Corinth find it hard to accept that they – be they a slave or a gentile or a woman – are just as important, just as  special as all the others in that community. 

In this season of Epiphany, it is a good time to be reminded that not just humans but nature too can recognise and rejoice in God’s glorious creativity and wisdom. It is a good time to be reminded that no one is more important – nor less important – than anyone else. And extending the parallel, to be reminded that humans are not more important than – nor less important – than the rest of creation. We have all been created for and are valued by God. God’s law that we should love our neighbour includes not just people like ourselves, but people of all backgrounds and places, and not just humans, but all beings that share this God-given existence.

Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10

All the people of Israel gathered together into the square before the Water Gate. They told the scribe Ezra to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the Lord had given to Israel. Accordingly, the priest Ezra brought the law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could hear with understanding. This was on the first day of the seventh month. He read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law. And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up. Then Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered, “Amen, Amen,” lifting up their hands. Then they bowed their heads and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground. So they read from the book, from the law of God, with interpretation. They gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.

And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.” For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law. Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions of them to those for whom nothing is prepared, for this day is holy to our Lord; and do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

Psalm 19

1 The heavens declare the glory of God, *
and the firmament shows his handiwork.

2 One day tells its tale to another, *
and one night imparts knowledge to another.

3 Although they have no words or language, *
and their voices are not heard,

4 Their sound has gone out into all lands, *
and their message to the ends of the world.

5 In the deep has he set a pavilion for the sun; *
it comes forth like a bridegroom out of his chamber;
it rejoices like a champion to run its course.

6 It goes forth from the uttermost edge of the heavens
and runs about to the end of it again; *
nothing is hidden from its burning heat.

7 The law of the Lord is perfect
and revives the soul; *
the testimony of the Lord is sure
and gives wisdom to the innocent.

8 The statutes of the Lord are just
and rejoice the heart; *
the commandment of the Lord is clear
and gives light to the eyes.

9 The fear of the Lord is clean
and endures for ever; *
the judgments of the Lord are true
and righteous altogether.

10 More to be desired are they than gold,
more than much fine gold, *
sweeter far than honey,
than honey in the comb.

11 By them also is your servant enlightened, *
and in keeping them there is great reward.

12 Who can tell how often he offends? *
cleanse me from my secret faults.

13 Above all, keep your servant from presumptuous sins;
let them not get dominion over me; *
then shall I be whole and sound,
and innocent of a great offence.

14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my
heart be acceptable in your sight, *
O Lord, my strength and my redeemer. 

1 Corinthians 12:12-31a

Just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in the one Spirit we were all baptised into one body–Jews or Greeks, slaves or free–and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.

Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot would say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear would say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many members, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the members of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and those members of the body that we think less honourable we clothe with greater honour, and our less respectable members are treated with greater respect; whereas our more respectable members do not need this. But God has so arranged the body, giving the greater honour to the inferior member, that there may be no dissension within the body, but the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honoured, all rejoice together with it.

Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers; then deeds of power, then gifts of healing, forms of assistance, forms of leadership, various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? But strive for the greater gifts. 

Luke 4:14-21

Jesus, filled with the power of the Spirit, returned to Galilee, and a report about him spread through all the surrounding country. He began to teach in their synagogues and was praised by everyone.

When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,

because he has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor. 

He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free, 

to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.”

And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

Second Sunday After Epiphany

19th January 2025

Reflection with readings below

In the Hebrew Testament there are many references and passages that describe the covenant relationship between God and the people as being like a marriage. Sometimes, as in the writings of the prophet Hosea, God’s people are liken to an adulterous woman who has strayed after other lovers – for which read alien gods and idols (or maybe profit and power). And yet that is not the end but just a phase in the story, for God, the spurned husband, goes out of his way to win back the love of his life. Hosea’s prophetic writing is of restoration and salvation. 

In today’s passage from Isaiah the message is of restoration and marriage and delight. And in chapter 61, Isaiah talks of God clothing us like a marriage partner with robes, garlands and jewels.

The idea of God and God’s people being marriage partners is repeated in the Book of Revelation with the marriage of the Lamb and the Bride, celebrated by a great wedding feast. Feasts in both testaments can also point to the heavenly banquet that awaits us all. Again from Isaiah (this time chapter 25) ‘On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-matured wines, of rich food filled with marrow, of well-matured wines strained clear’. 

Weddings and covenants and feasts are times of celebration and new beginnings. And this is surely why John’s Gospel includes this story of the wedding at Cana so early on. The old ways – the past – is represented by the six stone water jars, but for all their ritual they have not enliven this wedding. Jesus’s presence and action transforms the wedding into one of unimaginable delight. This relationship – the covenant – between bride and groom is to be of a different calibre to what has gone before. This is an Epiphany moment – as the Gospel of John makes clear, this was the first sign that revealed Jesus’s Glory. 

In the next chapter, John the Baptist describes Jesus as the Bridegroom. Who is the Bride? Who is the marriage partner? Amazingly, surprisingly, it is us! We are the Beloved. The wedding feast is our communion feast and Jesus does not hold back in offering us the best wine! It is a timeless feast – or rather it is a feast that exists outside time and extends throughout all time. In John’s Gospel the Eucharist is not described at the last supper but features in vignettes throughout the gospel. Here at the wedding feast we are invited to share the new wine of the kingdom, to join in union with Jesus, to celebrate our new covenant relationship of love. 

Isaiah 62:1-5

For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent,
and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, 

until her vindication shines out like the dawn,
and her salvation like a burning torch. 

The nations shall see your vindication,
and all the kings your glory; 

and you shall be called by a new name
that the mouth of the Lord will give. 

You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord,
and a royal diadem in the hand of your God. 

You shall no more be termed Forsaken,
and your land shall no more be termed Desolate; 

but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her,
and your land Married; 

for the Lord delights in you,
and your land shall be married. 

For as a young man marries a young woman,
so shall your builder marry you, 

and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride,
so shall your God rejoice over you. 

Psalm 36:5-10

5  Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens, *
and your faithfulness to the clouds.

6 Your righteousness is like the strong mountains,
your justice like the great deep; *
you save both man and beast, O Lord.

7 How priceless is your love, O God! *
your people take refuge under the shadow of your wings.

8 They feast upon the abundance of your house; *
you give them drink from the river of your delights.

9 For with you is the well of life, *
and in your light we see light.

10 Continue your loving-kindness to those who know you, *
and your favour to those who are true of heart.

1 Corinthians 12:1-11

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. You know that when you were pagans, you were enticed and led astray to idols that could not speak. Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking by the Spirit of God ever says “Let Jesus be cursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except by the Holy Spirit.

Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses.

John 2:1-11

On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine gave out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what concern is that to you and to me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” Now standing there were six stone water jars for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to them, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. He said to them, “Now draw some out, and take it to the chief steward.” So they took it. When the steward tasted the water that had become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the steward called the bridegroom and said to him, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and then the inferior wine after the guests have become drunk. But you have kept the good wine until now.” Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee, and revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.

First Sunday after Epiphany

12th January 2025

Reflection with readings below

Writers of scripture have to try and find ways of describing God, who is by definition beyond our descriptive powers. Today’s selection of readings uses things from nature to approximate to characteristics of God. Powerful like a storm, with strength like a wind or earthquake, with playfulness like hills skipping like young animals. Engulfing or all consuming like a flood. John the Baptist wants to describe the characteristics of the Messiah – God’s chosen one – and gives us the image of the farmer winnowing his harvest with an unquenchable energy.

The passages also tell of redemption and love and of God’s overwhelming desire for the wellbeing of God’s people. In the days when the writings of Leviticus were in use, poverty might force someone to sell themself or a member of their family as a slave, but there was always the possibility that a kinsperson would buy you or your family member back – that the person sold as a slave would be redeemed. This  act of redemption is what is being described in Isaiah. god buying us back because we are kin, because we are family.

In the early parts of Isaiah (which was written over many decades) the people of Jacob and Israel lived in times of great peril, with the threat of invasion, death, and slavery. Both nations had lost their way, following the ways of foreign gods – abandoning the one true God. In a sense they had sold themselves into slavery because they had become so indebted to the foreign powers and alien gods. Now in this latter part of Isaiah, the prophetic message is that God will rescue Jacob and Israel, that God will redeem them and restore them once more within the family or household of God – ‘Fear not! I have redeemed you. I have called you by name, you are mine… You are precious in my sight and I love you!’

These words are mirrored by the words from Luke’s Gospel. John is baptising people in the River Jordan – ritual of turning one’s life around – and here is  Jesus the one who will make this turning around a reality, and God’s words speak out loud to all who will hear: “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”

Isaiah 43:1-7

Thus says the Lord,
he who created you, O Jacob, 

he who formed you, O Israel:

Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name, you are mine. 

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; 

when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not consume you. 

For I am the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour. 

I give Egypt as your ransom,
Ethiopia and Seba in exchange for you. 

Because you are precious in my sight,
and honoured, and I love you, 

I give people in return for you,
nations in exchange for your life. 

Do not fear, for I am with you;
I will bring your offspring from the east,
and from the west I will gather you; 

I will say to the north, “Give them up,”
and to the south, “Do not withhold; 

bring my sons from far away
and my daughters from the end of the earth–

everyone who is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed and made.” 

Psalm 29

1 Ascribe to the Lord, you gods, *
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.

2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his Name; *
worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.

3 The voice of the Lord is upon the waters;
the God of glory thunders; *
the Lord is upon the mighty waters.

4 The voice of the Lord is a powerful voice; *
the voice of the Lord is a voice of splendour.

5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedar trees; *
the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon;

6 He makes Lebanon skip like a calf, *
and Mount Hermon like a young wild ox.

7 The voice of the Lord splits the flames of fire;
the voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness; *
the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

8 The voice of the Lord makes the oak trees writhe *
and strips the forests bare.

9 And in the temple of the Lord *
all are crying, “Glory!”

10 The Lord sits enthroned above the flood; *
the Lord sits enthroned as King for evermore.

11 The Lord shall give strength to his people; *
the Lord shall give his people the blessing of peace.

Acts 8:14-17

When the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. The two went down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit (for as yet the Spirit had not come upon any of them; they had only been baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus). Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. 

Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, “I baptise you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

Now when all the people were baptised, and when Jesus also had been baptised and was praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”

Feast of the Epiphany

5th January 2025

Reflection with readings below

The magi did not feel compelled to obey the directions of King Herod: rather they had hearts and minds that were open to what God was saying to them. (When they set out has they known God as God, or was it that they were following a path suggested by the tenets of the faith in which they had been raised and educated? – Biblical scholars suggest this would have been Zoroastorism. And actually doesn’t our faith tell us that as we believe there to be only the one God who created all things, that it would be entirely possible for them to discern that one true God through their faith?)

In that sense the magi were both rebellious and Godly. Are we too called to be rebellious and Godly?

Psalm 72 describes the way a Godly king should rule – treating the poor with justice, defending (ie providing for) the needy, rescuing the oppressed and those who in suffering cry out for help, crushing the oppressor, and ensuring peace. From what we know, this was not the approach followed by Herod. Nor indeed was it the approach followed by the Roman authorities. Nor was it advocated by the priestly authorities. 

We don’t know much more about the magi and the Iives they lived on their return to their homes. But I guess we might imagine that they were transformed lives. They had seen something awesome, something of the divine in that baby they tracked down in Bethlehem. A child before whom they were prompted to kneel in worship. A child of such significance that they offered expensive gifts. A child so astounding that they were willing to rebel against Herod – and run the risk of being pursued by his forces. I suspect they left smartly to get a head start on Herod – and perhaps with the hope that they had not highlighted the place where the child was. I wonder what they talked about on their way home? What new insights, new understandings of the world, of the divine, of human kind?

St Paul too rebelled against the authorities of his age. Having been an ardent supporter of the pharisaical branch of Judaism, he too had an epiphany moment which transformed his understanding of what God wanted of him and what God was wanting to achieve in the world. Significantly this plan or vision, was global in character. No longer was this religious faith to be confined just to the people who claimed Abraham as their forebear. It was to be a faith to be shared by all peoples of any and every background and heritage. Paul was the evangelist for this, both taking the faith to those outside the family of Abraham and convincing those within that family that their faith was not theirs alone but was now to be shared and appreciated in a new and expanded way. And as the letter to Ephesians writes, this included – and indeed still includes – the calling that “through the church the wisdom of God in its rich variety might now be made known to the rulers and authorities…”

As we begin a new year in which many challenges lie ahead if we are to turn humankind round so that we actually live within the limits of the earth’s resources, may we too feel called to share the wisdom of God with those in positions of power. Indeed we may feel called to rebel against those whose leadership seems set on wrecking the world, who seem set on ignoring the needs of the poor and needy, the oppressed and those who cry out because of their suffering. May we feel called to be Godly rebels.

Let us pray that this new year will be an epiphany moment for human kind which opens our eyes to the  pitiful state we are in and to the wisdom of God which uniquely offers us the means for salvation.

Isaiah 60:1-6 

Arise, shine; for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. 

For darkness shall cover the earth,
and thick darkness the peoples; 

but the Lord will arise upon you,
and his glory will appear over you. 

Nations shall come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your dawn.

Lift up your eyes and look around;
they all gather together, they come to you; 

your sons shall come from far away,
and your daughters shall be carried on their nurses’ arms. 

Then you shall see and be radiant;
your heart shall thrill and rejoice, 

because the abundance of the sea shall be brought to you,
the wealth of the nations shall come to you.

A multitude of camels shall cover you,
the young camels of Midian and Ephah;
all those from Sheba shall come. 

They shall bring gold and frankincense,
and shall proclaim the praise of the Lord. 

Psalm 72:1-7,10-14

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.

10 The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall pay tribute, *
and the kings of Arabia and Saba offer gifts.

11 All kings shall bow down before him, *
and all the nations do him service.

12 For he shall deliver the poor who cries out in distress, *
and the oppressed who has no helper.

13 He shall have pity on the lowly and poor; *
he shall preserve the lives of the needy.

14 He shall redeem their lives from oppression and violence, *
and dear shall their blood be in his sight.

Ephesians 3:1-12

This is the reason that I Paul am a prisoner for Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles– for surely you have already heard of the commission of God’s grace that was given me for you, and how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I wrote above in a few words, a reading of which will enable you to perceive my understanding of the mystery of Christ. In former generations this mystery was not made known to humankind, as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit: that is, the Gentiles have become fellow heirs, members of the same body, and sharers in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.

Of this gospel I have become a servant according to the gift of God’s grace that was given me by the working of his power. Although I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given to me to bring to the Gentiles the news of the boundless riches of Christ, and to make everyone see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things; so that through the church the wisdom of God in its rich variety might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was in accordance with the eternal purpose that he has carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have access to God in boldness and confidence through faith in him.

Matthew 2:1-12 

In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.” When King Herod heard this, he was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him; and calling together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it has been written by the prophet:

`And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; 

for from you shall come a ruler
who is to shepherd my people Israel.'” 

Then Herod secretly called for the wise men and learned from them the exact time when the star had appeared. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child; and when you have found him, bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.” When they had heard the king, they set out; and there, ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure chests, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.

Christmas Day 2024

Reflection

Today we celebrate the birth of a baby born in a stable some 2000 years ago. We can imagine what it was like because every day before and since then, babies have been born. Not all in stables – some in state of the art hospital suites, some in bomb sites, some in birthing pools, some in favelas – but each uniquely special.

Babies with their vulnerability and miraculously complete appearance, evoke such emotions from us – whether we are the parents  or not. Emotions of love, joy, wonder – even of adoration. I am not surprised that the shepherds were filled with awe and wonder when they saw the baby Jesus lying in the manger. And how much more their awe and wonder if they were able to fully take on board that this baby was to be the one who was to save the world, to bring into the world the means for healing and restoring all that gone wrong. Or if their were able to get their minds around the fact that this baby was God incarnate – God becoming as human as you or me. But I am guessing that Jesus looked no more different – and no less amazing – than any other new born baby. It is the ongoing miracle of God that new life continues to be born each and every day.

Everyday like the shepherds, we are called to witness to the miracle of life and to praise God. 

Jesus, even though he was born in a stable – which was probably not such an uncommon occurrence – was welcomed and protected by Mary and Joseph. He was born into a family that would nurture and safeguard him, that would enfold him in love – just as they had wrapped him in swaddling clothes. In Luke’s gospel we see Jesus growing up in that family, brought up with the faith of his parents including being taken to the temple Jerusalem, and that even in adulthood Mary and Joseph continue to be concerned for his welfare. 

For many people Christmas is a celebration of family. Families – as Jesus himself comments – include both blood relatives and others who happen to take on family roles. Being in a family is an important part of what it is to be a human. They are places of unconditional belonging. They are places of love. Families are not separate entities but all interconnected and intertwined. This is what we are celebrating at Christmas. We are all one family in God. Through the birth of Jesus we know God as  father and mother of us all.

Advent 6: some signs assert ownership

This picture was taken in Canton Graubunden in Switzerland. In the local language of Romansch the word ‘god’ means wood or forest. This sign points to a parking place in the wood.

But sometimes it is when we are not looking for God, that God finds us – and God may be found in unexpected places.

“Am I only a God nearby,” declares the LORD, “and not a God far away? Jeremiah 23:23

If I were to climb up to the highest heavens, you would be there. If I were to dig down to the world of the dead you would also be there. Psalm 139:8

The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him. Psalm 24:1