Tag: kingdom of God

Proper 17, 11th Sunday after Trinity

31st August 2025

Reflection with readings below 

The metaphor of a banquet – especially a wedding banquet with its focus on a blessing and affirming a bond or union of love between partners – is frequently used in the Bible to signify the fulfilment of God’s will in the establishing of the kingdom of God (whether this is understood as the establishing of God’s kingdom here in earth as in heaven, or as the incorporation of all into the kingdom of heaven at the end of time).

The gospel announced by Jesus is that the kingdom of God is at hand, and his teaching demonstrates how that rule can be recognised and incorporated into daily life here on Earth. However amongst those who heard Jesus’s preaching, there was a diversity of opinion as to who would be eligible to be citizens of this kingdom. Some believed that it was only for those were obedient law abiding Jews – for those who matched their own appearance and class. Others believed that there was a pecking order for those who would be citizens of God’s kingdom with the most righteous at the top table. And many believed that those who were ‘other’ than them whether because of racial origin, religious practice, disability, poverty, would be definitely excluded.

So here in today’s gospel we have a teaching from Jesus about the absolute inclusivity of God’s kingdom. Jesus has been invited to a banquet hosted by some Pharisees. The subtext is that the guest list has been exclusive, excluding those considered as sinners by the Pharisees. Further, that this feast is going to be a test of Jesus’s willingness to adhere to the Pharisees position vis a vis their superiority to such sinners. I wonder how far up the table the Pharisees placed Jesus?

Jesus tells them a parable about social embarrassment. What could be worse than being asked to give up your elevated seat at a feast, so as to make way for someone deemed more important? So suggests Jesus, maybe if one were to exercise notably humility by taking a low status seat, one could then enjoy being publicly elevated to a higher seat? But is that to miss the point that no one is more important than anyone else in God’s eyes, for God loves each and everyone of us regardless of gifts or shortcomings!

Jesus continues his teaching that entering God’s kingdom is not only about not about our worthiness. Entry into God’s kingdom is not transactional; it is not about what we can offer, what we can pay back. 

Jesus tells us to pray daily that God’s kingdom will come on Earth – ie come into the here and now. In the here and now, everyone can be party of that kingdom – can take a seat at the wedding feast. It is not for us to judge some people more eligible for God’s love than others. Nor is is not for us to seek rewards when we live – and love – according to God’s kingdom values.

We are called to love and care for everyone regardless of who they are, regardless of their past history, and regardless of whether or not that love will be reciprocated. We are called to love all asylum seekers and migrants and all those seeking safety. We are called to do so regardless of any differences between us. We are called to do so regardless of any cost to ourselves.

Likewise we are called to love all those who are oppressed by violence, who are persecuted, who are inured, who are frightened, who suffer because of a lack of food, health care, or safe accommodation.

But equally we are called to love  – and not to hate but to try and understand – those who cause such violence, who perpetrate hate and oppression. How? By reading and listening and asking questions to discern the truth. Then we can love by speaking the truth, by praying for all, by  generously supporting those in need, and by nonviolently preventing the actions of those who cause hate and injury.

Jesus’s gospel message that the kingdom of God is at hand, still holds true. It is a work in progress as we humans continue to be less than committed to living according to God’s will, but nevertheless God’s love and wisdom is still there to help us along the way of righteousness.

Jeremiah 2:4-13

Hear the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel. Thus says the Lord:

What wrong did your ancestors find in me
that they went far from me, 

and went after worthless things, and became worthless themselves?

They did not say, “Where is the Lord
who brought us up from the land of Egypt, 

who led us in the wilderness,
in a land of deserts and pits, 

in a land of drought and deep darkness,
in a land that no one passes through,
where no one lives?” 

I brought you into a plentiful land
to eat its fruits and its good things.

But when you entered you defiled my land,
and made my heritage an abomination. 

The priests did not say, “Where is the Lord?”
Those who handle the law did not know me; 

the rulers transgressed against me;
the prophets prophesied by Baal,
and went after things that do not profit. 

Therefore once more I accuse you, says the Lord,
and I accuse your children’s children. 

Cross to the coasts of Cyprus and look,
send to Kedar and examine with care;
see if there has ever been such a thing. 

Has a nation changed its gods,
even though they are no gods? 

But my people have changed their glory
for something that does not profit. 

Be appalled, O heavens, at this,
be shocked, be utterly desolate,

says the Lord, 

for my people have committed two evils:
they have forsaken me, 

the fountain of living water,
and dug out cisterns for themselves, 

cracked cisterns
that can hold no water.

Psalm 81:1, 10-16

1 Sing with joy to God our strength *
and raise a loud shout to the God of Jacob.

10 I am the Lord your God,
who brought you out of the land of Egypt and said, *
“Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.”

11 And yet my people did not hear my voice, *
and Israel would not obey me.

12 So I gave them over to the stubbornness of their hearts, *
to follow their own devices.

13 Oh, that my people would listen to me! *
that Israel would walk in my ways!

14 I should soon subdue their enemies *
and turn my hand against their foes.

15 Those who hate the Lord would cringe before him, *
and their punishment would last for ever.

16 But Israel would I feed with the finest wheat *
and satisfy him with honey from the rock.

Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16

Let mutual love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it. Remember those who are in prison, as though you were in prison with them; those who are being tortured, as though you yourselves were being tortured. Let marriage be held in honour by all, and let the marriage bed be kept undefiled; for God will judge fornicators and adulterers. Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have; for he has said, “I will never leave you or forsake you.” So we can say with confidence,

“The Lord is my helper;
I will not be afraid. 

What can anyone do to me?”

Remember your leaders, those who spoke the word of God to you; consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Through him, then, let us continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

Luke 14:1, 7-14

On one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the sabbath, they were watching him closely.

When he noticed how the guests chose the places of honour, he told them a parable. “When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honour, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited by your host; and the host who invited both of you may come and say to you, `Give this person your place,’ and then in disgrace you would start to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, `Friend, move up higher’; then you will be honoured in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

He said also to the one who had invited him, “When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbours, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

The Lord’s Prayer rephrased

2nd August 2025

Behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst. Luke 17:21b

You Lord, are the source of all good things: 

We praise you.

You call us to tend and care for your creation: 

May we strive to do your will.

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

May we live together in peace.


A reading from Luke 13:18-21

Jesus said therefore, ‘What is the kingdom of God like? And to what should I compare it? It is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in the garden; it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches.’ And again he said, ‘To what should I compare the kingdom of God? It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.’

A response: 

Heavenly Mother & Father of us all,

Holy is your name.

Holy is your creation, 

from the heights above to the deepest depths, 

from the farthest horizon to the ground beneath our feet.


May your Kingdom come, 

may your reign prevail  and never end.

For the rule of God is to act 

with loving kindness and justice, 

with mercy and humility. 


Give us today our daily bread, 

feed us with your love, 

nourish us in our insecurities –

and give not just to us your people 

but to all our kindred in creation.


And in receiving, 

may we too become givers,  

giving bread, 

giving love, 

giving respect.


Forgive us our sins, 

forgive us  where we have fallen short 

and heal us, 

that we too may forgive 

and heal the wounds we have caused.


Enable us to look upon each other with love, 

knowing each and everyone 

to be a child created in your image 


Protect us from pride and apathy, 

direct us away from greed, 

vanity and temptation. 

Deliver us from evil, 

from the ills we have created.


In your Kingdom we will find glory, 

in your reign we will find harmony, 

and under your rule we will find peace.

Amen. Amen.

Amen.

3rd Sunday after Trinity, Proper 9

6th July 2025

Reflection with readings below

The Isaiah prophetic writings cover the period before, during and after the exile to Babylon. The northern Kingdom of Israel and and its people had already been conquered and exiled by the Assyrians – the previous regionally dominant empire. Small states like Israel and Judah were routinely offered the choice of becoming a tribute-paying vassal state or of being invaded and destroyed  – or exiled – by the dominant power. Judah, the southern kingdom was caught between two such powers – Egypt to the south west and first Assyria, then Babylon, to the north and east. Those ruling Judah vacillated between the options and were eventually overrun by the Babylonian army.

The prophets of the time, sought to discern God’s will in all that was happening. Were the people being punished by God for their sins? For their failure to love God, to keep God’s commands, or even simply to trust in God’s love for them? The prophets continued to wrestle with this in exile and also to seek to discern how God wanted them to behave. What laws could they follow when they no longer had a temple? How could they appropriately worship God without a temple? Would – and if so how – would God restore the people? Would they return to their homeland? Would they rebuild the temple? Would they have a king again? Would they be blessed, would they prosper and flourish? Such thoughts shape the writings and topics covered in the Book of Isaiah.

Not all the people from Judah were exiled to Babylon; the Babylonian empire took captive the wealthier, more influential people (those who could otherwise cause unrest and who had skills the administration could utilise) but had left behind many of the peasant and labouring people – they were of more value if they remained on the land, ensuring it produced food, wealth and taxes for the Babylonian empire.

70 plus years later, with a new dominant empire – that of the Persians after they had routed the Babylonians – those who had been exiled were permitted to return to their homelands. However, many of the Jewish people choose to remain in Babylon. They had made homes there, had set up businesses, had developed ways of worshipping God and of being Jewish that did not depend upon a temple in Jerusalem. Up until the 20th century there were many Jewish communities in places such as Iraq and Iran.

Here in today’s reading, the prophet’s writings extol the virtues of Jerusalem, the restoration of her wealth and prosperity, and in parallel how Jerusalem reflects the love God shows to the people.  The people are encouraged to rejoice in their new home, to find salvation there  and to renew their identity as God’s people. (NB isn’t it wonderful to hear of God described in feminine terms!)

But was the passage just to be heard by those returning exiles? What about the people who had never left Judah, or the people who,had stayed behind on Babylon? 

Is it perhaps to be heard by all who are making a return – physical, metaphorical or spiritual – all who are embarking on a new life in which they intend to live in accordance with the teachings, the ways of life, the way of God? 

Is Jerusalem in this reading to be understood only as the 5th century capital of a small vassal state or is a metaphor for the kingdom of God? Certainly this Jerusalem is not to be understood as being the Jerusalem that the current Israeli Government dominates! 

Every time we pray the Lord’s Prayer we say ‘may your kingdom come, your will be done’. With these words we are undertaking to be subject to God’s rule, to live within the reign of God. So maybe we should hear these words as addressed also to us, to envisage in this image of Jerusalem, the character and capacity of the kingdom of God that could be present here on Earth.

Every time we pray ‘may your kingdom come, your will be done’ we are committing ourselves to living not according to former ways (which St Paul in writing to the Galatians terms ‘according to the flesh’) but in the new ways shown to us by Jesus – or as St Paul describes, ‘according to the Sprit’. 

Today’s Gospel reading reminds is that the way Jesus taught was not a mere ‘easy-going, do what you want’ way being, but a way of living that both challenged and transformed people’s lives. Indeed it is a way of living that brings the Kingdom of God ever closer. So let’s be inspired and encouraged to be optimistic and expansive in our imagining of the kingdom of God, and to be radical and energetic in pursing the way of life that Jesus opens up to us. 

Isaiah 66:10-14

Thus says the Lord:

“Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her,
all you who love her; 

rejoice with her in joy,
all you who mourn over her– 

that you may nurse and be satisfied
from her consoling breast; 

that you may drink deeply with delight
from her glorious bosom.

For thus says the Lord:

I will extend prosperity to her like a river,
and the wealth of the nations like an overflowing stream; 

and you shall nurse and be carried on her arm,
and dandled on her knees. 

As a mother comforts her child,
so I will comfort you;
you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.

You shall see, and your heart shall rejoice;
your bodies shall flourish like the grass; 

and it shall be known that the hand of the Lord is with his servants,
and his indignation is against his enemies.”

Psalm 66:1-8

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Galatians 6: 7-16

Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for you reap whatever you sow. If you sow to your own flesh, you will reap corruption from the flesh; but if you sow to the Spirit, you will reap eternal life from the Spirit. So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest-time, if we do not give up. So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all, and especially for those of the family of faith.

See what large letters I make when I am writing in my own hand! It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh that try to compel you to be circumcised– only that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. Even the circumcised do not themselves obey the law, but they want you to be circumcised so that they may boast about your flesh. May I never boast of anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is anything; but a new creation is everything! As for those who will follow this rule– peace be upon them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.

Luke 10:1-11, 16-20

The Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on ahead of him in pairs to every town and place where he himself intended to go. He said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few; therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into his harvest. Go on your way. See, I am sending you out like lambs into the midst of wolves. Carry no purse, no bag, no sandals; and greet no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, `Peace to this house!’ And if anyone is there who shares in peace, your peace will rest on that person; but if not, it will return to you. Remain in the same house, eating and drinking whatever they provide, for the labourer deserves to be paid. Do not move about from house to house. Whenever you enter a town and its people welcome you, eat what is set before you; cure the sick who are there, and say to them, `The kingdom of God has come near to you.’ But whenever you enter a town and they do not welcome you, go out into its streets and say, `Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet, we wipe off in protest against you. Yet know this: the kingdom of God has come near.’

“Whoever listens to you listens to me, and whoever rejects you rejects me, and whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me.”

The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, in your name even the demons submit to us!” He said to them, “I watched Satan fall from heaven like a flash of lightning. See, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing will hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice at this, that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

Feast of St Peter and St Paul

29th June 2025

Reflection with readings below

Peter was a fisherman who gave up his job, not once but twice, in response to God’s call. He gave up security and income and the guarantee of a bed to follow Jesus. He listen to and struggled with what Jesus was teaching, sometimes giving the correct answer to Jesus’s questions and sometimes the wrong. He took risks – like walking on water – and accepted that sometimes he ended up (so as to speak) flat on his face. His risk taking and his passion for Jesus gave the gift of oratory when it came to addressing a potentially hostile crowd. He was willing to have his deepest beliefs challenged by God and understood the need for the church to include not just Jews but Gentiles too – and still he could make mistakes and still he accepted justifiable reproof (from Paul).

Paul began as Saul, an ardent deeply faithful Pharisee skilled both with his hands (a tent maker) and intellectually. He was adept both at learning and in teaching, and deeply committed to his religious cause. After his conversion through a visionary experience, the ardour with which he pursued his

Pharisaic ideals, he transferred and more so to the development of the Christian faith. Initially happy to be apprenticed to more experienced missioners, he quickly became a master missioner establishing church communities and developing the skills of others. And yet he never forgot the place and the people from whence the church had first grown, bringing back financial aid and gathering for worship with the community in Jerusalem. Paul’s vision for the church went beyond even what Peter imagined, setting aside many of the traditions which had seemed such important parts of Judaism, to allow the church to grow in new  – God inspired – directions.

Both Peter and Paul were people willing to take radical action, to go against the norm. They were both willing to acknowledge that they made mistakes and to accept forgiveness for their mistakes. They were both willing to grow in knowledge and understanding in response to God’s wisdom.

The combination of all these attributes was probably essential in establishing and developing the early church taking it from being a group of passionate pupils into becoming a resilient, international community. One of the biggest changes to which both  Peter and Paul contributed was the expansion of that community to include non Jews – outsiders, foreigners, people of different backgrounds! And to hold women and men, slaves and freeborn as equals – so becoming a truly inclusive church. To achieve this it was important that both Peter and Paul were leaders who were willing to be imaginative and to think outside the box, willing to discuss difficult issues – and to listen and to share their thoughts with others in the community. 

In contrast the reading from Acts presents a different sort of leader – Herod. Here is someone who likes to use violence to assert their authority, but who also likes to ‘toady up’ to others if that will gain their support. 

Good leaders that are able to listen to their community, that are able to keep their community together  (with unity), that are concerned for the needs of their community especially the marginalised, are of great value – both then and now. And equally leaders who use violence and favouritism, leaders who are ‘me’ focused and who disregard the needs of others were – and are – a great danger to everyone. 

The passage from the Gospel of St Matthew shows what a very heavy responsibility was being laid upon Peter – and other leaders following after.  The church is both to present Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God to the world, and to shape the ways people and communities live such that here on earth we may live in accordance with rules or the reign of  heaven. 

It seems to me that the church – whether that is the overarching Church or the local church – has a huge responsibility to both witness to the truth of Jesus Christ, and to walk and talk in the way of the kingdom of God.  The church – whether Church or church, and actually both – should be calling out the unacceptable bloodshed and oppression being afflicted on the people of Gaza; should be providing financial aid and support to the victims and not facilitating the supply of more armaments; should be praying and using diplomatic skills to ensure peace and justice for all in the region. 

The church – both church and Church – should be calling for tax justice and for a fair distribution of wealth and opportunity; should be praying for and offering skills and financial support for those marginalised by poverty, ill health, disability and prejudice, should be offering a clear vision of an alternative economic system.

The church – both church and Church – should be calling for action to protect the earth from climate change and biodiversity loss; should be encouraging each and everyone of us to live more simply, to ensure that our lifestyles choices do not take more than the planet can give, nor more a fair share bearing in mind the needs of all our brother and sisters.

The church – both church and Church – should be encouraging and enabling discussion as to how we can all live and work together for the common good: for the kingdom of God. 

As we remember the gifts that Peter and Paul brought the church, let us pray for and encourage good leadership in our communities and churches today. 

Acts 1:1-11

About that time King Herod laid violent hands upon some who belonged to the church. He had James, the brother of John, killed with the sword. After he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. (This was during the festival of Unleavened Bread.) When he had seized him, he put him in prison and handed him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover. While Peter was kept in prison, the church prayed fervently to God for him.

The very night before Herod was going to bring him out, Peter, bound with two chains, was sleeping between two soldiers, while guards in front of the door were keeping watch over the prison. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Peter on the side and woke him, saying, ‘Get up quickly.’ And the chains fell off his wrists. The angel said to him, ‘Fasten your belt and put on your sandals.’ He did so. Then he said to him, ‘Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.’ Peter went out and followed him; he did not realise that what was happening with the angel’s help was real; he thought he was seeing a vision. After they had passed the first and the second guard, they came before the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went outside and walked along a lane, when suddenly the angel left him. Then Peter came to himself and said, ‘Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hands of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.’

2 Timothy 12:19-26

But God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this inscription: ‘The Lord knows those who are his’, and, ‘Let everyone who calls on the name of the Lord turn away from wickedness.’

In a large house there are utensils not only of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for special use, some for ordinary. All who cleanse themselves of the things I have mentioned[b] will become special utensils, dedicated and useful to the owner of the house, ready for every good work. Shun youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. Have nothing to do with stupid and senseless controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kindly to everyone, an apt teacher, patient, correcting opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant that they will repent and come to know the truth, and that they may escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.

Matthew 16:13-19

Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that the Son of Man is?’ And they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’ And Jesus answered him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.’

First Sunday of Advent

1st December 2024

Reflection with readings below

The readings during Advent and especially those used in carol services, are full of pointers and signs, telling us that amazing things are about to happen – those chosen from the Old Testament tend to be full of promise that things are about to change and that good times are coming. Those from the New Testament, such as today’s gospel are more cautionary: good times will come but the journey there may troubled – which is perhaps a reflection of Jesus’s understanding that humans are prone to greed, self-interest, disagreements and other less than admirable behaviour. And certainly the need for salvation seems as great as ever when we look around our world today.

Whilst it is perhaps easier to pick out Old Testament prophecies that point to and are fulfilled by the narrative of Jesus’ birth (hind sight helps!) prophecies concerning the as yet to be revealed future are less clear. Signs that point to Jesus’ birth are readily discerned; signs that show us how we are to attain the fulfilment of the coming of God’s kingdom on earth are less discernible. And yet according to the gospels – well two of them – that the first Christmas was anything but certain: Mary’s betrothed status was in doubt, accommodation for the birth was a last minute arrangement and the welfare of the child looked very dodgy in the face of political oppression. And that is still how life is for many people across the globe – uncertain, in doubt, last minute, threatened.

Life on earth is about uncertainty. It can be unpredictable, at times irrational. It can be manipulated by those with power. It can be finite and imbued with suffering. Jesus holds no bars when talking about what may happen. But at the same time there are moments of pure bliss, of overwhelming joy, of happiness, of miracles and unexpected surprises. There are moments when we experienced the indwelling of the kingdom of God right here, right now!

As we begin our journey through Advent, maybe we need to be less concerned about certainty and more ready alert for signs that reveal God’s wisdom. May we be more focused in discerning the way God would have us live, the way that brings in the kingdom of God. May we cultivate a practice of living each day reliant on faith in God rather than in believing the propaganda of a wayward world. May we be looking for signs that tell us how to love our neighbour and how in return to receive their love for us. And not just our human neighbours but all those living beings with who we share a common home.

Jeremiah 33:14-16

The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will fulfil the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. And this is the name by which it will be called: “The Lord is our righteousness.” 

Psalm 25:1-9

1 To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul;
my God, I put my trust in you; *
let me not be humiliated,
nor let my enemies triumph over me.

2 Let none who look to you be put to shame; *
let the treacherous be disappointed in their schemes.

3 Show me your ways, O Lord, *
and teach me your paths.

4 Lead me in your truth and teach me, *
for you are the God of my salvation;
in you have I trusted all the day long.

5 Remember, O Lord, your compassion and love, *
for they are from everlasting.

6 Remember not the sins of my youth and my transgressions; *
remember me according to your love
and for the sake of your goodness, O Lord.

7 Gracious and upright is the Lord; *
therefore he teaches sinners in his way.

8 He guides the humble in doing right *
and teaches his way to the lowly.

9 All the paths of the Lord are love and faithfulness *
to those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.

1 Thessalonians 3:9-13

How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy that we feel before our God because of you? Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you face to face and restore whatever is lacking in your faith.

Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus direct our way to you. And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we abound in love for you. And may he so strengthen your hearts in holiness that you may be blameless before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.

Luke 21:25-36

Jesus said, “There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see ‘the Son of Man coming in a cloud’ with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

Then he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees; as soon as they sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

“Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day catch you unexpectedly, like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth. Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.” 

Proper 23, 20th Sunday after Trinity

13th October 2024

‘Seek the Lord and live’, ‘Seek good and not evil, that you may live’ and ‘teach us to number our days – ie to live that we may apply our hearts to wisdom’

‘The word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword … it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.’

Life – a good life – is the life we live embracing God’s wisdom, adhering to God’s word. This is the message of our readings today. Oh that we would adhere to them!

Yet it is not just as individuals that we must so act, but as communities, as nations, and as the whole living world. If someone mistreats the poor, not only do the poor suffer but ultimately everyone in the community suffers. This is why Amos talks of people not living in the house they have built or enjoying the harvest of what they have grown. This is why the psalmist speaks of God’s people in the plural. And this is why we see suffering in the world today whether it is the civil war in Sudan, the escalating violence in the Middle East, the floods many parts of the world from Bosnia to Florida to Bangladesh, or the rioting in this country. The growing gap between rich and poor which is a result of injustice and inequality, the exploitation of the Earth’s resources where we take more than can be sustained, mean that ultimately we all suffer.

Nevertheless as individuals can we ever say ‘I have done enough, I have done as much as is necessary’? 

Being faithful means continuing always to strive to do good, to do what is God’s will – but not seek a reward but through love. In today’s gospel the young man is focused rewards rather than love. He is motivated by what he hopes to gain. Jesus shows him that this motivation is always going to hit a brick wall, whereas if he can find his way through the love of God, then he will find himself already in God’s Kingdom.

And God’s love will tell us to rest and pause, will tell us not to burn ourselves out. God’s love will tell us to support one another, to ensure that our sisters and brothers don’t overwork, don’t over fixate, don’t think that they can solves all the world’s problems – for only God can do that!

Amos 5:6-7,10-15

Seek the Lord and live,
or he will break out against the house of Joseph like fire,
and it will devour Bethel, with no one to quench it.

Ah, you that turn justice to wormwood,
and bring righteousness to the ground!

They hate the one who reproves in the gate,
and they abhor the one who speaks the truth.

Therefore, because you trample on the poor
and take from them levies of grain,

you have built houses of hewn stone,
but you shall not live in them;

you have planted pleasant vineyards,
but you shall not drink their wine.

For I know how many are your transgressions,
and how great are your sins—

you who afflict the righteous, who take a bribe,
and push aside the needy in the gate.

Therefore the prudent will keep silent in such a time;
for it is an evil time.

Seek good and not evil,
that you may live;

and so the Lord, the God of hosts, will be with you,
just as you have said.

Hate evil and love good,
and establish justice in the gate;

it may be that the Lord, the God of hosts,
will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.

Psalm 90:12-17

12 So teach us to number our days *
that we may apply our hearts to wisdom.

13 Return, O Lord; how long will you tarry? *
be gracious to your servants.

14 Satisfy us by your loving-kindness in the morning; *
so shall we rejoice and be glad all the days of our life.

15 Make us glad by the measure of the days that you afflicted us *
and the years in which we suffered adversity.

16 Show your servants your works *
and your splendour to their children.

17 May the graciousness of the Lord our God be upon us; *
prosper the work of our hands;
prosper our handiwork.

Hebrews 4:12-16

The word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And before him no creature is hidden, but all are naked and laid bare to the eyes of the one to whom we must render an account.

Since, then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathise with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Mark 10:17-31

As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honour your father and mother.’” He said to him, “Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth.” Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, “You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions.

Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” And the disciples were perplexed at these words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” They were greatly astounded and said to one another, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible.”

Peter began to say to him, “Look, we have left everything and followed you.” Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.”

Pentecost

19th May 2024

Reflection with readings below.

Last week was Christian Aid Week, and in the middle of the same week, London hosted the Africa Energy Summit when members from the fossil fuel industry get together to facilitate/ promote the further development of – primarily – oil and gas in Africa. The former a western aid organisation fund raising to alleviate suffering and poverty in Africa (and other parts of the world). The latter largely western organisations seeking to make more profits by extracting more resources from the Africa, to the detriment of the indigenous populations. 

By way of example, one proposed project is the East Africa Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) which will extract oil from under and around Lake Albert in the Murchison Falls National Park, in the west of Uganda. From there it will be sent via a 870 mile heated (keeps the crude oil fluid) pipeline to a port on the coast of Tanzania for export by sea. The bulk of the project is owned by  the French company, Total with 65% whilst Uganda and Tanzania’s own oil companies having each a 15%  stake, and a Chinese oil company has the last 5%. In other words the large bulk of the profit will not even stay in the countries of origin, whilst the cost of the scheme in terms of pollution, destruction of the natural environment and climate change will be heavily felt locally. 

Today’s main story as told in the Book of Acts, witnesses to the role of the first Christians in reaching out in love and compassion to peoples from all points of the compass equally. The gospel is good news for everyone! 

I wonder how we think about what the good news means for the people of Africa – as well as other parts of the world – today? Is it a message of justice and love, of compassion and equality? Or is it tinged with a sense that they can have the left overs? That they will have to find their own way of catching up with more fortunate parts of the global economy? That their wars and civil conflicts – such as the ongoing civil war in Darfur – are not newsworthy?

Maybe the first thing we need to do, is to listen to what the people themselves are saying. What do they think their good news should look like? We can do this through reading the news, looking out for channels that pick up less popular stories, through accessing resources from charities that work in the region – that could be larger ones like Christian Aid and Oxfam, or smaller ones like Friends of Freetown which works with a local school, orphanage and medical centre in Freetown. And having listened, we can pray, and provide practical support through donations. 

This is analogous to the way Peter and his comrades had to find the right language if they were going to spread the good news to those beyond their own experience. The gift of languages must have felt like an amazing super power for the disciples that ‘first’ Pentecost!

I wonder what super power you would chose? How would it help you spread the gospel? How would it help bring in the rule – and thus the kingdom – of God?

Ezekiel 37:1-14

The hand of the Lord came upon me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me all around them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry. He said to me, “Mortal, can these bones live?” I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them: O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. I will lay sinews on you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am the Lord.”

So I prophesied as I had been commanded; and as I prophesied, suddenly there was a noise, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. I looked, and there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them; but there was no breath in them. Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, mortal, and say to the breath: Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.” I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood on their feet, a vast multitude.

Then he said to me, “Mortal, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely.’ Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: I am going to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you back to the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people. I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken and will act,” says the Lord.

Psalm 104:25-35, 37

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

26 Yonder is the great and wide sea
with its living things too many to number, *
creatures both small and great.

27 There move the ships,
and there is that Leviathan, *
which you have made for the sport of it.

28 All of them look to you *
to give them their food in due season.

29 You give it to them; they gather it; *
you open your hand, and they are filled with good things.

30 You hide your face, and they are terrified; *
you take away their breath,
and they die and return to their dust.

31 You send forth your Spirit, and they are created; *
and so you renew the face of the earth.

32 May the glory of the Lord endure for ever; *
may the Lord rejoice in all his works.

33 He looks at the earth and it trembles; *
he touches the mountains and they smoke.

34 I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; *
I will praise my God while I have my being.

35 May these words of mine please him; *
I will rejoice in the Lord.

37 Bless the Lord, O my soul. *
Hallelujah!

Acts 2:1-21

When the day of Pentecost had come, the disciples were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.

Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. Amazed and astonished, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs– in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.” All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” But others sneered and said, “They are filled with new wine.”

But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, “Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:

`In the last days it will be, God declares,

that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,

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

Even upon my slaves, both men and women,
in those days I will pour out my Spirit;
and they shall prophesy.

And I will show portents in the heaven above
and signs on the earth below,
blood, and fire, and smoky mist.

The sun shall be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood,
before the coming of the Lord’s great and glorious day.

Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ “

John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15

Jesus said to his disciples, ”When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father, he will testify on my behalf. You also are to testify because you have been with me from the beginning.

“I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. But now I am going to him who sent me; yet none of you asks me, ‘Where are you going?’ But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts. Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will prove the world wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: about sin, because they do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will see me no longer; about judgment, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.

“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.

Pentecost

18th May 2024

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

Sovereign God, 

set your people free from the aggression of war; 

set your people free from the pains of hunger; 

set your people free from the addiction of greed; 

set your people free from the entrapment of consumerism; 

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

Grant us instead the freedom 

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

Amen. 

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

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

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

.

Pentecost Spirit, 

taking  breath over creation, 

drawing life out of chaos. 

Inspire us with a vision of the world as it could  be.

Fill our hearts with active love.

Pentecost Spirit, 

riding on the storm clouds of anger, 

turning the world upside down. 

Inspire us with a vision of the world as it could  be.

Fill our hearts with active love.

Pentecost Spirit, 

dividing the waters, 

cutting through the bonds of slavery.

Inspire us with a vision of the world as it could  be.

Fill our hearts with active love.

Pentecost Spirit, 

raising up whirl winds 

yet drawing us into the still centre of calm.

Inspire us with a vision of the world as it could  be.

Fill our hearts with active love.

Pentecost Spirit, 

that comes from we know not where, 

yet reveals to us all truth.

Inspire us with a vision of the world as it could  be.

Fill our hearts with active love.

Pentecost Spirit, 

a sudden gale that rocks the boat, 

yet challenges us to hang onto our faith.

Inspire us with a vision of the world as it could  be.

Fill our hearts with active love.

 Pentecost Spirit, 

a gentle evening breeze,

that refreshes the soul when the day’s work is done.

Inspire us with a vision of the world as it could  be.

Fill our hearts with active love.

The Grace.

Sunday between Ascension and Pentecost

12th May 2024

Reflection with readings below

At this stage of the Easter season it can feel as if some of the steam has gone from the lectionary. The readings lack exhilaration! The drama of the resurrection stories seems to have drifted into the past. Can we yet capture the frizzon of Easter – the surprise and amazement and energy? Or is this a Sunday to pause between the mystery and joy of Easter and the power and energy of Pentecost? 

In the episode from Acts, Matthias is chosen to be the named twelfth apostle to take on the ministry of the era of the resurrection. Last week I suggested we might see this ministry as being achieving victory over ‘worldliness’, the bringing in of the kingdom of God on earth. So whilst Matthias was a named apostle tasked with this mission, I think we are all chosen and tasked with this ministry. The writer of the letter of John tells that we have the testimony of God in our hearts. And the writer of John’s gospel tells us that we have been sanctified by God to act according to the truth of God as revealed to us by Jesus.

How does this help us respond to the world? To the war and violence, the prejudice and persecution, sickness and the underfunded health system, poverty and the unequal distribution of resources, greed and apathy and the destruction of the natural environment, short-termism and the failure of leadership? AND to the beauty of creation, of acts of kindness and generosity, of miracles of healing, of moments of joy and humour, and the love shown to us by people and creatures alike?

Firstly we know that the things of harmfulness are not in accordance with God’s kingdom, God’s law or rule. The Magnificat; the manifesto given by Jesus, using the words of Isaiah, in the synagogue; Jesus’s declaration of the two most important commandments – to love God wholeheartedly and to love our neighbour as ourself: all these tell us this. AND we know that the things of joy are witnesses to the presence of God’s kingdom. Many of the psalms give us words that magnify this joy.

Second we have been told by Jesus to take our concerns to God in prayer. Such prayer helps us express and understand, or at least cope with, our own feelings. And I believe it does release a power that can effect change. Prayer can also witness to others the concerns we feel and so increase the capacity for change. I also believe that sharing with God the things that make us joyful, strengthens our faith and the scope of others to see the presence of God’s kingdom on earth.

Third, we have been told by Jesus that words are not enough but must be followed through by actions – remember the parable of the two sons, the parable of the sheep and goats, etc – and by his own examples, Jesus has shown us that we should do all we can to right wrongs, to bring healing to situations, and to respond to people in need with compassion and empathy. And we should do all we can to cherish the beauty of the world, and things of joy. Jesus repeatedly used the natural,world to teach his followers, turned brief encounters into lasting friendships, and made meals into parties.

Fourth, we have the examples of Peter and Paul in the Book of Acts, of John the Baptist, and of Jesus himself, of speaking truth to power – whether that is to religious leaders or business leaders or to financiers or to those in government. 

Thinking practically, two examples: first, the fighting and the suffering in Gaza. We can pray. We can include Gaza in our church intercessions. We can join groups/ services that have a part focus on Gaza – and we may find that through these we gain in understanding of the issues. Keeping abreast of the news will also help us make our prayers more meaningful. We can make sure we are aware of all the different issues involved, the different people on all sides, and how they are being affected.

We can give practical support – at this distance through donations to charities operating in the area. 

We can boycott businesses that are supporting the apartheid regime in Israel and follow that up with letters to the companies. 

We can sign petitions calling for justice.

We can write to our MPs, and the Secretary of State for foreign policy, asking for a cease fire, asking for increased humanitarian aid, asking for an end of arms sales to the region. We can ask for matters to be referred to the International Court of Human Rights.

Second, No Mow May. It may seem like a small thing but this annual invitation to let our lawns grow unrestrained gives us the chance to see and rejoice in flowers and seed heads, insects and birds, that we would otherwise miss – and thus the incentive to pray. It encourages to see understand better the interconnectedness of God’s world and our part in it – and thus to be more caring, to be more concerned to live in harmony with the ways of God’s kingdom. And it gives us the opportunity to talk with others about such things, to share the joys and the opportunities of God’s kingdom. I am already surprised by how many people I have overheard talking about No Mow May this year!

If we can do these things in response to both the grief and the joy we see in the world, then we can make a difference, we can carry out that ministry that is bringing in the kingdom of God. And maybe we will be able to find moments when we feel the frisson on the risen Jesus or the overwhelming power of the Holy Spirit or the deep calm of God?

Acts 1:15-17, 21-26

In those days Peter stood up among the believers (together the crowd numbered about one hundred twenty persons) and said, “Friends, the scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit through David foretold concerning Judas, who became a guide for those who arrested Jesus– for he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry. So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us– one of these must become a witness with us to his resurrection.” So they proposed two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also known as Justus, and Matthias. Then they prayed and said, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles.

Psalm 1

1 Happy are they who have not walked in the counsel of the wicked, *
nor lingered in the way of sinners,
nor sat in the seats of the scornful!

2 Their delight is in the law of the Lord, *
and they meditate on his law day and night.

3 They are like trees planted by streams of water,
bearing fruit in due season, with leaves that do not wither; *
everything they do shall prosper.

4 It is not so with the wicked; *
they are like chaff which the wind blows away.

5 Therefore the wicked shall not stand upright when judgment comes, *
nor the sinner in the council of the righteous.

6 For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, *
but the way of the wicked is doomed.

1 John 5:9-13

If we receive human testimony, the testimony of God is greater; for this is the testimony of God that he has testified to his Son. Those who believe in the Son of God have the testimony in their hearts. Those who do not believe in God have made him a liar by not believing in the testimony that God has given concerning his Son. And this is the testimony: God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.

John 17:6-19

Jesus prayed for his disciples, “I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you have given me is from you; for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them. And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them in your name that you have given me. I guarded them, and not one of them was lost except the one destined to be lost, so that the scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you, and I speak these things in the world so that they may have my joy made complete in themselves. I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one. They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, so that they also may be sanctified in truth.”

Second Sunday of Easter

7th April 2024

Reflection – readings follow on below

This short passage from Acts seems almost too good to be true; more like a vision of what our communities could be. It describes a community where loving one’s neighbour as one self is a lived out expression. It is also a community empowered by the grace that comes from Jesus, and a community that is willing and able to proclaim to the wider populace.

It is the sort of community that is prefigured in the feeding of the 5000; in the healing of the sick regardless of who or where they are; in the washing of feet; in the trust of the disciples who set out on journeys without money or food or spare clothes relying instead on the generosity of others; in the sharing of the bread and wine; and in taking risks together. It is a community that can supply a  or an upper room on demand. It is the sort of community that could, and should, be described as a resurrection community – a community shaped and empowered by the resurrection. 

What then is the power of the resurrection? The passage from John’s letter is not that lucid, but I think it  begins by saying that the word of life which is a metaphor for Jesus Christ, is in essence the means of entering eternal life with the God the Father. Through  fellowship with Jesus we have union with all that is God. This is made possible because through Jesus our sins are forgiven so that we can once more live in the light – the truth – that is God. And perhaps even more importantly it is not just our individual sins  are redeemed, but also our corporate sins, the sins of the world.

The power of the resurrection can perhaps then be understood as the fellowship with God and the redemption of sins, that enables us to live the good neighbourly life of the kingdom of God here on earth – a lifestyle such as glimpsed in Acts. If we are looking for evidence of the power of the resurrection at work, we need to look for such glimpses, where people – and indeed all living beings – live together in peace and harmony. Perhaps we see the commitment to such a future in aid workers and journalists who are willing to risk their lives to protect the people of Gaza. In the people who campaign against poverty, who provide practical solutions for people trying to make a living in the face of the climate crisis. In the lawyers who campaign against the misuse of power by large organisations. In the people who restore biodiversity. In the people who supply and those who run food banks.

Today’s gospel comes in two halves. In the first the risen Jesus comes to the disciples. They seem to be locked away, perhaps even hiding, in a house, full of fear. Jesus speaks to them, ‘Peace’. 

The word in Greek is eiréné and means peace of mind and of the health and wellbeing of the individual. It comes from the root eirō meaning to join, tie together into a whole and can thus have the sense of the gift of wholeness. And Jesus then breathes on them the gift of the Holy Spirit, and gives them the agency with which to forgive sins. Thus he enacts for them what the resurrection means. 

The second part of the gospel concerns Thomas who was not present and had not seen or touched the risen Jesus. So eight days later (ie on the first day of the new week) Jesus comes again and specifically addresses Thomas. Thomas now believes without reservation. He is drawn into that relationship, that fellowship with God, that is at the heart of the meaning of resurrection. But is this encounter just for Thomas’s benefit, or is it so that we too can hear Jesus’s words? – “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”

There are many ways of being witnessed to the resurrection of Jesus other than seeing. The different gospels suggest that we can know the truth of the resurrection and the reality of Jesus’s presence through the words of scripture, through the sharing of bread, through the witness of others, through asking, and through the openness that allows us to hear Jesus’s reply.

May we all be open to receive the power of the resurrection so that we can make the life of the kingdom of God real and present. 

Acts 4:32-35

Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common. With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold. They laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.

Psalm 133

1 Oh, how good and pleasant it is, *
when brethren live together in unity!

2 It is like fine oil upon the head *
that runs down upon the beard,

3 Upon the beard of Aaron, *
and runs down upon the collar of his robe.

4 It is like the dew of Hermon *
that falls upon the hills of Zion.

5 For there the Lord has ordained the blessing: *
life for evermore.

1 John 1:1-2:2

We declare to you what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life– this life was revealed, and we have seen it and testify to it, and declare to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us– we declare to you what we have seen and heard so that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. We are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.

This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him while we are walking in darkness, we lie and do not do what is true; but if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.

John 20:19-31

When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.”

A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.