Tag: God

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

Proper 28

17th November 2024

Reflection with readings below

Jesus is quite clear in talking with his companions that the future is not all rosey, but that troubled times lay ahead, that the certainty of existing structures – whether of the temple, or of the rich and powerful, or indeed of the Roman Empire – were underscored by frailty and impermanence. 

And I don’t think the scenario has changed much since then. The world is still beset by troubled times – of human making! – and of unstable structures that could fall at any moment. Wars and coups, flash floods and financial crashes, are all possibilities.

Yet we are asked to be steadfast, to keep the faith, to hold on to hope. Indeed we are called to be like bright stars, leading the way by right living. Right living is what we discern from listening to God speaking into our hearts, night after night. It is what we discern through the laws that God writes into our hearts and minds. It is there in the DNA of creation – that we should love and live in harmony with each and every part of creation.  And just as we know we are called to love, we also know we are to be recipients of that same love – that creation loves us back. 

We are not merely single, stand-alone individuals. We are interrelated, interdependent beings, co-participants in the dance of life. The writer of Hebrews reminds us – and urges us to action – that we should “provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another.”

And this is what we must do, even in the face of crises and conflicts, of despair and destruction. Yesterday across the world people held demonstrations calling for Global Justice – for a fair sharing of resources, for a just financial redistribution giving support to the most needy and ensuring that those who pollute and abuse their positions, pay up. Within the confines of COP29 in Azerbaijan, such protests were perforce, silent and stationary, as protestors lined the corridors between conference rooms. In London, people in their thousands marched (slowly) with banners and placards from the British Museum (which still receives sponsorship from a major oil producer) to Whitehall + the heart of government.  I can’t say that we were optimistic that we would win the changes we sought, that our and other governments would overnight become way more generous in providing climate finance, that oil companies would use their excessive profits to make good the damage they have caused. But we did make a stand, we did encourage each other, we did reaffirm our believe that we are called to love one another and to seek justice for those who suffer. 

Love is not a mere warm feeling; it is action taken against the odds, faithfully following the one true Christ.

Daniel 12:1-3

The Lord spoke to Daniel in a vision and said, “At that time Michael, the great prince, the protector of your people, shall arise. There shall be a time of anguish, such as has never occurred since nations first came into existence. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book. Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.”

Psalm 16

1 Protect me, O God, for I take refuge in you; *
I have said to the Lord, “You are my Lord,
my good above all other.”

2 All my delight is upon the godly that are in the land, *
upon those who are noble among the people.

3 But those who run after other gods *
shall have their troubles multiplied.

4 Their libations of blood I will not offer, *
nor take the names of their gods upon my lips.

5 O Lord, you are my portion and my cup; *
it is you who uphold my lot.

6 My boundaries enclose a pleasant land; *
indeed, I have a goodly heritage.

7 I will bless the Lord who gives me counsel; *
my heart teaches me, night after night.

8 I have set the Lord always before me; *
because he is at my right hand I shall not fall.

9 My heart, therefore, is glad, and my spirit rejoices; *
my body also shall rest in hope.

10 For you will not abandon me to the grave, *
nor let your holy one see the Pit.

11 You will show me the path of life; *
in your presence there is fullness of joy,
and in your right hand are pleasures for evermore.

Hebrews 10:11-25

Every priest stands day after day at his service, offering again and again the same sacrifices that can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, “he sat down at the right hand of God,” and since then has been waiting “until his enemies would be made a footstool for his feet.” For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us, for after saying,

“This is the covenant that I will make with them
after those days, says the Lord:

I will put my laws in their hearts,
and I will write them on their minds,”

he also adds,

“I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.”

Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.

Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh), and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Mark 13:1-8

As Jesus came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!” Then Jesus asked him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.”

When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately, “Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished?” Then Jesus began to say to them, “Beware that no one leads you astray. Many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray. When you hear of wars and rumours of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is still to come. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. This is but the beginning of the birthpangs.”

Proper 27 – and also Remembrance Sunday

10th November 2024

Reflection with readings below

When we talk about the House of Windsor, for example, we are talking about a family – a family that goes back many generations and which we anticipate will continue on for many more generations to come. Our first reading is also about the continuation of  dynastic House, that of the House of David. It is a story of the forebears of David, significant for Jews for whom he is Israel’s greatest king, and significant for Christians for David himself is the forebear of Jesus. But the story is also subversive as Ruth, the mother, is not a member of the one of the tribes of Israel but is a Moabite. 

The character of God is thus highlighted as being one who includes rather than excludes. The House of Israel is not exclusive but inclusive. This inclusivity is also the message of the gospels and of the Pauline letters. In writing to the community in Galatia, Paul reminds them that in Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female.

Today is Remembrance Sunday when we remember those who gone before us as victims of war. We remember their sacrifice made in the hope of a better future, a future where all people may live together in peace. Naomi says to her daughter-in-law, Ruth, that she wishes to find security for her – and she does this by enabling Ruth to become part of her extended family. The more we can incorporate each other into one family, the greater will be the peace that we can enjoy. 

Another word for house is home, a dwelling place but perhaps more importantly a place of belonging. So we may talk about our home town, or our homeland. In his encyclical Laudato Si, Pope Francis talks of the earth as being ‘our common home’. This is the one home we all share and for which we must all care, if it is to be a home for generations to come.

Today’s psalm reminds us that unless our deeds and actions are both inspired and guided by God, they will fail. It is God’s first command to us in the Garden of Eden. And the call to care for the earth, to care for the vulnerable and the needy, and to pursue justice for all, is the repeated refrain throughout the Bible. Only by so doing, can our common home, our global family, survive and flourish. 

Next week many people with power and influence will gather in Azerbaijan for the global climate conference – COP29. If our common home is to be a place of safety and well-being, we need those people to act positively, speedily and effectively in cutting the use of fossil fuels, in transitioning to renewable energy, and in ensuring a just sharing of resources  – and finances – for all our brothers and sisters, for all our House.

And then we too need to be willing to change our lifestyles, changing the way we use and share resources, so that together we can tackle the issues of climate change, biodiversity loss and social injustice. Typically we need to consider not flying; driving less and using public transport more; eating less meat and dairy and instead eating more locally produced fruit and vegetables, grains, pulses and nuts; replacing gas with electricity and using that economically; better insulating our homes; reusing and repairing what we already have in preference to the ‘buy, buy’ culture that advertisers promote; and in the words of Christian Aid, living more simply so that others may simply live.

Today’s gospel reading contrasts the different responses that Jesus observed in the ways people followed God’s ways. Some – and it would seem to have been those with wealth and positions of authority – who made token gestures: a biblical equivalent of green washing. Whilst others gave their all, allowing their whole live to be shaped by God’s will. 

Let us pray that both we and those attending COP29 will be be from the second rather than the first camp. Let us pray that the wellbeing of our House, of our common home will be given priority over personal gain; that by allowing our actions to be guided by God, so that our labour will not be in vain. 

Ruth 3:1-5; 4:13-17

Naomi her mother-in-law said to Ruth, “My daughter, I need to seek some security for you, so that it may be well with you. Now here is our kinsman Boaz, with whose young women you have been working. See, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor. Now wash and anoint yourself, and put on your best clothes and go down to the threshing floor; but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. When he lies down, observe the place where he lies; then, go and uncover his feet and lie down; and he will tell you what to do.” She said to her, “All that you tell me I will do.”

So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When they came together, the Lord made her conceive, and she bore a son. Then the women said to Naomi, “Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without next-of-kin; and may his name be renowned in Israel! He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age; for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has borne him.” Then Naomi took the child and laid him in her bosom, and became his nurse. The women of the neighbourhood gave him a name, saying, “A son has been born to Naomi.” They named him Obed; he became the father of Jesse, the father of David.

Psalm 127

1 Unless the Lord builds the house, *
their labour is in vain who build it.

2 Unless the Lord watches over the city, *
in vain the watchman keeps his vigil.

3 It is in vain that you rise so early and go to bed so late; *
vain, too, to eat the bread of toil,
for he gives to his beloved sleep.

4 Children are a heritage from the Lord, *
and the fruit of the womb is a gift.

5 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior *
are the children of one’s youth.

6 Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them! *
he shall not be put to shame
when he contends with his enemies in the gate.

Hebrews 9:24-28

Christ did not enter a sanctuary made by human hands, a mere copy of the true one, but he entered into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. Nor was it to offer himself again and again, as the high priest enters the Holy Place year after year with blood that is not his own; for then he would have had to suffer again and again since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the age to remove sin by the sacrifice of himself. And just as it is appointed for mortals to die once, and after that the judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin, but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

Mark 12:38-44

As Jesus taught, he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honour at banquets! They devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”

He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. Then he called his disciples and said to them, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”

Proper 24, 21st Sunday after Trinity

20th October 2024

Reflection with readings below

‘Words without knowledge’

How well do we know – how well do we look at, observe and study – God’s creation? Recently I was watching a swan fly overhead and was struck by the way it stretched out its neck as straight as an arrow, and contrasted that with the way a heron bends its neck into an S shape to fly. Why the difference? It could be differences on the centre of gravity of each bird. Swans are among the heaviest flying birds and need to extend their neck (muscular and therefore heavy) out in front to optimise its centre of gravity vis a vis its wings. As the swan comes into land it begins to curve its neck in so shifting the centre of gravity to prepare it for a landing position.

Nature, the natural world around us, is often referred to as the first Bible – the first reference point for perceiving and understanding God and our relationship with the both the divine and creation. History repeatedly shows us that our knowledge is often partial and and that we need a greater and more sympathetic understanding of the world God is creating.

Currently our lack of understanding – or perhaps as importantly our failure to act sensibly upon what we know – about the human production of carbon emissions and climate change is causing significant harm to both the environment and to our fellow inhabitants of this planet. God might very rightly say to us ‘why do you darken counsel by words without knowledge?’

And similarly so when God looks at the state of biodiversity across the globe. Our human greed has extracted resources from the earth and displaced other beings such that our consumption levels are no longer sustainable – either for us nor for the rest of nature. 

Both the passage from Job and the psalm invite it to look at, to contemplate, to marvel at the beauty of creation and in it to recognise God’s divine presence. How often do we set aside time for such worship? Time to engage with and encounter the divine in nature? 

How often do we give ourselves the time and space to contemplate the natural world, to rest in its presence and so allow God’s Spirit to revive and re-create us?

And how often do we look and listen and learn from nature that divine wisdom which would help us live lives according to God’s way? To live lives which through God’s wisdom, would ensure a good life for everyone – for plants and animals, for fish and birds, for humans in the North and the South, for rivers and oceans, for agriculture and for commerce.

A better – a God-shaped – life is possible. That is what we might otherwise call ‘salvation’. Jesus came to save the world – not just some humans, not even just all humans, but all that has been created – the whole cosmos!

In this context humans cannot demand that they be seen as the most important species. Rather as in today’s gospel story, it is better if we follow the example of Jesus and be willing servants of all – human and non human, creaturely and earthly. This calling to follow Jesus will involve us in speaking up and speaking out about the value and importance of paying attention to and understanding the natural world God has created and in which we find the divine presence.

Jesus is the source of eternal salvation 

Job 38:1-7, 34-41

The Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind:

“Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?

Gird up your loins like a man,
I will question you, and you shall declare to me.

“Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?
Tell me, if you have understanding.

Who determined its measurements—surely you know!
Or who stretched the line upon it?

On what were its bases sunk,
or who laid its cornerstone

when the morning stars sang together
and all the heavenly beings shouted for joy?

“Can you lift up your voice to the clouds,
so that a flood of waters may cover you?

Can you send forth lightnings, so that they may go
and say to you, ‘Here we are’?

Who has put wisdom in the inward parts,
or given understanding to the mind?

Who has the wisdom to number the clouds?
Or who can tilt the waterskins of the heavens,

when the dust runs into a mass
and the clods cling together?

“Can you hunt the prey for the lion,
or satisfy the appetite of the young lions,

when they crouch in their dens,
or lie in wait in their covert?

Who provides for the raven its prey,
when its young ones cry to God,
and wander about for lack of food?”

Psalm 104:1-9, 25, 37b

1 Bless the Lord, O my soul; *
O Lord my God, how excellent is your greatness!
you are clothed with majesty and splendour.

2 You wrap yourself with light as with a cloak *
and spread out the heavens like a curtain.

3 You lay the beams of your chambers in the waters above; *
you make the clouds your chariot;
you ride on the wings of the wind.

4 You make the winds your messengers *
and flames of fire your servants.

5 You have set the earth upon its foundations, *
so that it never shall move at any time.

6 You covered it with the Deep as with a mantle; *
the waters stood higher than the mountains.

7 At your rebuke they fled; *
at the voice of your thunder they hastened away.

8 They went up into the hills and down to the valleys beneath, *
to the places you had appointed for them.

9 You set the limits that they should not pass; *
they shall not again cover the earth.

25 O Lord, how manifold are your works! *
in wisdom you have made them all;
the earth is full of your creatures.

37b Hallelujah!

Hebrews 5:1-10

Every high priest chosen from among mortals is put in charge of things pertaining to God on their behalf, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He is able to deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is subject to weakness; and because of this he must offer sacrifice for his own sins as well as for those of the people. And one does not presume to take this honour, but takes it only when called by God, just as Aaron was.

So also Christ did not glorify himself in becoming a high priest, but was appointed by the one who said to him,

“You are my Son,
today I have begotten you”;

as he says also in another place,

“You are a priest forever,
according to the order of Melchizedek.”

In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Although he was a Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered; and having been made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him, having been designated by God a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.

Mark 10:35-45

James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to Jesus and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” And he said to them, “What is it you want me to do for you?” And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or be baptised with the baptism that I am baptised with?” They replied, “We are able.” Then Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptised, you will be baptised; but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.”

When the ten heard this, they began to be angry with James and John. So Jesus called them and said to them, “You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognise as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.”