Are we the Champions?

Here's my article for the September magazine:

Image by Keith Johnston from Pixabay  

With the World Cup and the Commonwealth Games as well as all the normal events, this summer has been a great one for sports fans, although perhaps not as good for others in their homes who don't like sport!

Sports fandom comes in many forms; some just enjoy watching sport, others get heavily invested in it. But when there are major sporting events like the World Cup or the Olympics even armchair sports watchers can get swept up in the excitement, and we identify with our team or our national team.  So their successes become our successes; 'we' win, 'we' are the champions.  Even when our best sporting days (if we ever had them) are behind us, we share in the victory of others as if it were our own.  For those in a crowd at an event, it could be an argued that their support spurred the team or athlete on to victory, but for those watching online or on TV (and sometimes not even live) no matter how much we shout, it will have no impact on those who are actually competing.  And yet we still claim that 'we' have won.

This helps us to understand something that often puzzles people about the Christian faith.  We believe that Jesus' death and resurrection is the means by which our sins are forgiven – but how can the death of someone almost 2,000 years ago have any bearing on our guilt?

Jesus said that his death would be a ransom for many (Mark 10:45); he was named the 'Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world' by John the Baptist (John 1:29) which links him to the figure of the Suffering Servant in Isaiah 52-53 who “was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.”  So Jesus took the punishment we deserve for our sins: “He died for our sins and rose again to make us right with God” (Romans 4:25 The Living Bible).

But how does what Jesus achieves on the cross get applied to us personally?   The answer is similar to that corporate sense of identification we see with sport.  Paul teaches us that “We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life” (Romans 6:3-4).  Baptism is the symbol of repentance, faith and trust in Jesus, and through that faith we become united with Jesus in his death and his resurrection (Romans 6:5).  Like someone watching or listening to sport via the media, we contribute nothing to the victory Jesus wins, but through faith Jesus is our champion, we win in him.

“Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57).

The 'Phoney Peace' and the now-and-not-yet Kingdom

Here's my article for May:

This month we commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE Day, which is viewed by many as the end of the Second World War. But of course it only marked Victory in Europe; the end of hostilities between the European powers, it wouldn't be until VJ Day in August 1945 that the Second World War would end, with Victory over Japan. Just as the start of the war was dubbed 'the Phoney War' because of a lack of fighting, so we could call the period between VE Day and VJ Day, 'the Phoney Peace'. Peace had started and was more-or-less guaranteed but the war was not yet over.

This sense of 'now-and-not-yet' is also characteristic of the Christian faith. Last month we celebrated Jesus' death and resurrection and at the end of this month we'll be celebrating his ascension. Behind these historical events lie spiritual events. The apostle Paul tells us that on the cross Jesus triumphed over the rulers and authorities in the spiritual realm, taking away their power (Colossians 2:15) and that after his ascension Jesus was given the position of ultimate authority, ruling over all forces, authorities, powers, and rulers (Ephesians 1:20-21). However, we still see evil forces active in the world and we still pray to God “your kingdom come: your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” so where is the triumph and rule of Jesus?

The answer is in the now-and-not-yet nature of the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God has been inaugurated by Jesus' death and resurrection but it won't be fully consummated until Jesus returns to judge the living and the dead. As John Piper says

The decisive battle against sin and Satan and sickness and death has been fought and won by the King in his death and resurrection, but the war is not over. Sin must be fought, Satan must be resisted, sickness must be prayed over and groaned under (Romans 8:23), and death must be endured until the second coming of the King and the consummation of the kingdom.

So we can see signs of the Kingdom even now: as people come to a personal relationship with God through Jesus; as people are healed or find in God the courage to cope with tragedy; as those whose lives were dominated by sin or addiction are freed through repentance and the work of the Holy Spirit within them. Yet we also see the continuing effects of a world broken by sin.

As we live in this 'in-between' time we can both rejoice as we see the signs of the Kingdom coming as well as long for the certain future when “There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Revelation 21:4). And on a personal level those who have Jesus as their King can be certain that, although they won't be perfected until Jesus comes again, as the Spirit works in their lives they will become more and more like Jesus, battle by battle, because the war has been won.

Unconquerable

Here's my article for February:

This February, the seventh Invictus Games will be held in Vancouver and Whistler. The Invictus Games were founded by Prince Harry as an international multi-sport event for wounded, injured and sick servicemen and women, both serving and veterans. They were first held in London in 2014 and speaking at the launch, Prince Harry said that the Games would "demonstrate the power of sport to inspire recovery, support rehabilitation and demonstrate life beyond disability."

The word 'invictus' is Latin for 'unconquered' and according to the Invictus Games website “The term embodies the fighting spirit of the participating men and women, as well as their motivation to move on with their lives, to gain a new place in life, and to not let themselves be defined by the trauma they have suffered.”

'Invictus' is also the title of a poem by the Victorian poet William Ernest Henley that is closely linked with the Games – the 2016 hosts Orlando said “the 16 short lines of the poem encapsulate the indefatigable human spirit, which is at the heart of the Invictus Games.” The poem is an example of stoicism in the face of the author's medical difficulties, including the amputation of his leg as a teenager due to complications from tuberculosis. He talks of his “unconquerable soul” and that despite his circumstances he has not “winced nor cried aloud,” his head “is bloody, but unbowed.” It ends with the famous defiant cry “I am the master of my fate / I am the captain of my soul.”

This is not just stoicism but it is a belligerent declaration of individualism and self-determination. The 'fighting spirit' that motivates the competitors to move on and demonstrate life beyond disability is very commendable, but in this poem it takes a dangerous turn into arrogance and hubris. Henley disregards “whatever gods may be,” only thanking them for making his unconquerable soul, and also disregards any consequences of his actions either in this world or the next.

This is partly because he doesn't believe in God and therefore this life is just a “place of wrath and tears” and after death is only “the Horror of the shade.” Contrast that with the view of the Apostle Paul: “We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself...But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead” (2 Corinthians 1:8-9. Paul lists the things he suffered in 2 Corinthians 6:4-10 and 11:23-27.) Suffering and adverse circumstances will make us either rely on ourselves or turn to God for help. Paul says that God is the one who can raise the dead, who can bring something good out of something bad and that because eternal life exists, this life as meaning and purpose. What good is it to be captain of your own soul if you don't believe there is a destination to sail to?

Facing the empty chair

Here's my article for November:

The Prayer Spaces that we'll be running this month in the schools will be themed around 'Remembering' – not specifically on wars and conflicts, but more generally on remembering loved ones and others who have died. One of the activities will be around an empty chair representing the gap that is left in our lives after the death of someone close. The children will have the chance to express a bit of how they feel, and reflect on the good memories, but it also allows for, and affirms, the sad ones.

The grieving process is different for everyone, and there are many rituals and practices that are recommended by different people to aid the process. Some of these are more helpful than others, some are well-intentioned but actually hinder healing. It seems to me that the most unhelpful ones are those that encourage our natural desire to 'hold onto' our loved ones and in some way to deny the reality of death – a desire that Canon Scott-Holland parodies in what has now become the poem “Death is nothing at all.”

It is very common to 'talk to' loved ones who have died, and there is nothing necessarily wrong in doing that. However, if we expect a response from them we turn a cathartic action into one that keeps the wound open. I sometimes stand at the graves of my predecessors and 'ask' them about what's happening in the parishes, but I don't expect them to answer, and nor do I even think they can hear me. I talk to them in the same way I talk to objects – not to communicate with them but just as a sounding board to express my thoughts.

The recent popularity of letterboxes for “Letters to Heaven” is a practice that treads this distinction. Carrying on the habit of sending letters and cards, at least shortly following a death, can be cathartic, but it seems to me that if it is done so as not to let down or disappoint the one who has died, it becomes something that hinders the process of letting go. And for children it might be especially unhelpful if because of a lack of reciprocal cards they think their loved one does not love them any more.

I've written previously of the dangers of mediumship as it opens us up to malevolent spiritual forces beyond our control, but it is also unhelpful because it falsely claims that the dead can communicate with the living.

So what can we do when faced with the empty chair? Recalling memories, both happy and sad, is a very important part of the grieving process, but the aim of the process is to let go – to be grateful for life whilst acknowledging the reality of death. However, our deep desire that life continues after death should point us to the One who offers exactly that: Jesus promises: “Those who believe in me will live, even though they die; and those who live and believe in me will never die.” (John 11:25-26).

“It would be better if I weren't here”

Here's my article for May:

“It would be better if I weren't here.”  This is often the heart-rending opinion of those who take their own lives. And the consequence of allowing forms of assisted suicide might be that terminally ill people are forced to think the same about themselves, seeing themselves as a burden to their families or society.  Whatever the circumstances of this opinion, it is always tragic.  Which is why it seems odd that Jesus said words to that effect to his disciples.

After his resurrection, Jesus spent forty days with his disciples, eating and drinking with them and also appearing to others (Acts 10:40-41; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8) and then went back to his Father, which we celebrate on Ascension Day.  However, before he died he was preparing his disciples for this final departure and said to them “very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away” (John 16:7).  I wonder if the disciples forgot this and perhaps one of the things he reminded them during those forty days was that it would be better for them for him to go away.  If so, I wonder if it puzzled them?

It might puzzle us too.  Surely it would be better for Jesus to have stayed on earth? Now he'd been resurrected he would be immortal and could carry on teaching and healing forever.  We could go to see him preach or witness his miracles; he could have his own TV, YouTube and TikTok channel; we could even 'follow' him on Facebook and Instagram, or read his tweets.  As Judas sings in 'Jesus Christ Superstar': “Why'd you choose such a backward time in such a strange land? / If you'd come today you could have reached a whole nation. / Israel in 4 BC had no mass communication.”

Many people say to me that they would believe in Jesus if he would only appear to them, though of course many people met Jesus during his earthly ministry, heard his teaching and saw his miracles but still didn't believe in him.  However, Jesus himself says why it was better for him to leave: “Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.” - he's talking about the Holy Spirit, whose arrival we celebrate at Pentecost.  

In this sense, the Holy Spirit is better for us than Jesus because Jesus didn't lose his humanity when he was resurrected – he was raised physically with a body that could eat and drink and which still bore the marks of his crucifixion (John 20:27).  Therefore, like us, he could only be in one place at one time: he could only be beside us, whereas the Holy Spirit can dwell within everyone who believes in Jesus.  And one of the tasks of the Holy Spirit within us is to remind us that we are loved and valued by God no matter what we or others think about us.

Life is the name of the game

Here's my March article:

When I was young, I noticed how older people would often tell the same stories or talk about the same subjects over and over again.  Now I'm an older person, I find myself doing it too; repeating stories and subjects.  A few weeks ago I was talking to someone about my magazine articles and I realised how often I write on the subject of death!   I don't think I have a particularly morbid interest in death, but I am fascinated by people's beliefs about death, especially those who don't identify themselves as being 'religious.'  And so, despite Good Friday being a perfect opportunity to talk about death again, I'm going to restrain myself and instead focus this month on Easter and on life.

As Brucie said, “life is the name of the game” and this is certainly true of the Christian faith: the most famous verse in the Bible, John 3:16, tells us that “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”  Jesus talks about the small gate and narrow path that leads to life, which only a few find (Matthew 7:14) and declares that he is the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6).  He says that “my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son [Jesus] and believes in him shall have eternal life” (John 6:40). But this eternal life is not 'pie in the sky when you die' Jesus also says “I have come that [those who listen to me] may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10).  Indeed, Peter describes life without belief in Jesus as an “empty way of life” (1 Peter 1:18).

We all have a deep yearning for life (dare I say that this is why even those who are 'not religious' cling to a belief that life continues in some way after death?) because God did not create us to die.  The apostle Paul reminds us that death came into the world through the sin of Adam, but that Jesus' death atoned for sin and his resurrection brings new life in the present and eternal life in the future to those who believe in him (Romans 5 and 6).  Thus what was lost in the Garden of Eden is restored and the new heavens and the new earth described in Revelations 21 and 22 are characterised by life in intimate communion with God.

We yearn for life because God has placed eternity in our hearts (Ecclesiastes 3:11).  But we often look for fullness of  life in the wrong places - in family, jobs, achievements, wealth, popularity, health or... But, as the angels said to the women at Jesus' tomb that first Easter day “Why do you look for the living among the dead?” (Luke 24:5)  So if you want life, come to Jesus who is the resurrection and the life (John 11:25).

The Snowman melts

Here's my talk for this year's Memorial Service, the reading was 1 Corinthians 15:12-26:

Christmas is a time that's full of traditions. Even these days, when we all get our news and entertainment from a myriad of different sources, the Christmas traditions of repeated TV shows and film have the power to bring us together. One of these staples of Christmas is The Snowman.

A few years ago, I realised my youngest child had never seen this film, so I decided to sit all the children down to watch it on Christmas Day. The older children weren't that interested in it, but reluctantly sat down too. As you know the boy, James, creates the snowman, which magically comes to life – at which point one of the older children turned to the youngest and said “He melts at the end!”

That put a bit of a dampener on it! But in some ways it was a very insightful comment on the film, because The Snowman is not a film about the joy and magic of Christmas, it is actually a film about death. Raymond Briggs, who created the story, said that the story was designed to introduce children to the concept of mortality.

Briggs himself struggled with his grief. He was an only child and his parents died from cancer just nine months apart in 1971, and his wife died from leukaemia just two years later. Briggs was still grieving when he created The Snowman a few years after. He is quoted as saying “The snowman melts, my parents died, animals die, flowers die. Everything does. There’s nothing particularly gloomy about it. It’s a fact of life.”

We all have different journeys of grief, but part of that journey must involve coming to terms with the reality and finality of death. The person we loved is no longer with us, they have gone and we are parted from them. At the end of the film, the snowman has melted and all James is left with is the scarf and his memories.

The same is true for us, when a loved one dies, all we are left with is some physical objects that are linked with them and our memories of them. Today we have another opportunity to recall those memories we have.

However, although memories are good, it is not helpful to say that our loved ones live on in our memories – that places an incredible and impossible burden on us. Our loved ones do not die if we forget to think about them because they are dead already. Remembering them is good, but not remembering them is OK too.

The Snowman ends with James kneeling in the snow, holding the scarf, distraught at the death of his friend. There is no happy ending. Death has the final say.

In his letter to the Corinthian church, the apostle Paul says “If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.” Christians believe in the resurrection, in the possibility of life after death, but if there is no such thing as life after death, if death does indeed have the final say, then Christians are fooling themselves and are in a worse position than those who don't believe in an afterlife at all.

But, Paul says, Jesus has been raised from the dead and those who belong to him, those who have a true and lively faith in him, will also share in that resurrected eternal life. And when Jesus returns, he will reign and destroy death itself. Death doesn't have the final say. Jesus does.

In The Snowman, Raymond Briggs presents us with the truth that death is a reality and has a finality to it. But this is only a partial truth. One of the reasons we celebrate Jesus' birth is because through his life, death and resurrection he defeats the hold that death has on us. Without him, death wins and we are lost forever. With him, life wins and those who belong to Jesus will live forever.

Photo by Gemma Evans on Unsplash

Mind the gap (between 6% and 48%)

Here's my article for April:

Much has been said about the 2021 Census, particularly the self-identification or otherwise of people as Christian. The headline was “Christianity now a minority religion in England and Wales”, though the figures actually showed that “Christian” remained the most common response (46.2% or 27.5 million people), followed by “No religion” at 37.2%; Muslim: 6.5%; Hindu: 1.7% ; and Jewish: 0.5%. So, to be more accurate, the headline was that for the first time since records began, fewer than half the population of England and Wales identified as Christian. However, either way, it was hardly an earth-shattering finding – or was it?

One of the problems with the census question was that it was about identity rather than practice, so although 46.2% of people identify as Christian that doesn't mean that they all attend church on Sunday. (Though more people still attend church than attend football matches in the top four tiers [around 956,000 compared to 700,000].) Another survey in 2022, the Talking Jesus Report (talkingjesus.org), looked into what people in the UK think of Jesus and compared it with the research they did in 2015. Much the same as the 2021 Census, it found that 48% of the population choose to describe themselves as Christians - down from 58% in 2015. But it also asked how many of that 48% were practicing Christians (defined as those who attend church monthly and pray and read the Bible weekly) and the figure was 6%, more-or-less the same as the 7% in 2015. So although self-identification had dropped, actual attendance hadn't.

Given that only 6% of the population are practicing Christians, two other statistics stand out from the Talking Jesus Report. Firstly, 20% of people believe that Jesus is “God in human form who lived among people in the 1st Century” (21% in 2015). Secondly, 16% of the population believe in the resurrection of Jesus, word for word, as it is described in the Bible and a further 29% say they also believe in the resurrection, but that some content of the biblical account should not be taken literally. The Report says “That is extraordinary, in an age where faith was supposed to be dying, and where science could have disproved such things as resurrection, still 45% of the population believe Jesus rose from the dead” (p10).

This is good news for Easter! 45% of people believe in what the apostle Paul calls “of first importance” without which the Christian faith is futile (1 Corinthians 15). Though as we can see in the figures, believing something is true does not always affect the way you live your life. But this might also explain why the two most commonly asked questions, according to the report, were “Will everything be ok?” and “What happens when you die?” Peter, who witnessed the crucified and resurrected Jesus, wrote this “In [God's] great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade” (1 Peter 1:3-4). If you, however hesitantly, believe in the resurrection (and even if you don't) why not put it to the test? Come along to church, read the Bible, pray and see if you, like Peter, will find the answers to those questions.

Grief and hope at empty tombs

Here's my sermon for this year's Remembrance service at Broughton:

Last Thursday, the Cubs, Scouts and Explorers came to church to think about Remembrance Sunday and created these poppies to decorate the church with for today. We thought about the two minutes silence and how, for some people, in the first minute we recall those who have died in the two world wars, and whose names we hear read out, and in the second minute we think of all those affected by war, through injury, bereavement or loss of homes and livelihoods.

So on these poppies we wrote on the top half a name of someone from Broughton who died in the two world wars, and then on the bottom half people that we pray for during the service, either because they are suffering because of war or because they are trying to make peace. So thank you to the Cubs, Scouts and Explorers for helping us to remember the purpose of Remembrance Sunday – to remember and to pray.

Of course, this two minutes silence happens at our poignant War Memorial: with our soldier deep in thought, remembering his friends who have died and holding in his hand a laurel leaf for peace. Remembering and praying.

There are many war memorials throughout the country – from simple plaques to huge monuments but almost all of them have one thing in common – they are technically cenotaphs. A cenotaph is a monument to someone who has died and whose body is buried elsewhere and I learnt recently that the word 'cenotaph' comes from two Greek words meaning 'empty tomb'. So these cenotaphs are not graves but memorials.

This reminds us that so many of those who went to war never came back, for most not even their bodies came back and for some the location of their bodies is unknown. In the absence of a proper grave, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier represents all those whose bodies never returned, and all our local cenotaphs are testament to the absence in all senses of the word of those who never returned from war.

We gather at an empty tomb to remember those who should be here but aren't. And as we feel the pain of the empty tomb we commit ourselves to praying for all those who suffer because of war and violence, and all those who are working for peace and justice.

But we don't just gather at the cenotaph, we also gather here in church, where the words 'empty tomb' have a different resonance.

In our first reading (Acts 13:26-39) we hear the words of the apostle Paul telling people in a synagogue about Jesus. He tells them that Jesus was unfairly tried and unjustly put to death, but that he was raised from the dead, and that unlike his ancestor, the great King David, his body did not decay. Instead there was an empty tomb. And because of that empty tomb Paul could say for certain that Jesus' death is the way sins can be forgiven, as Jesus himself had said it would. And it's those sins of course which lead to war and violence. Therefore, Paul goes on, everyone who believes and trusts in Jesus is set free from their sins, something that is simply not possible through being a good person doing good things.

That empty tomb is the central belief of Christianity – if it is untrue, as Paul says elsewhere, then our faith is pointless, but if it is true it should change every part of our lives. If Jesus has not been raised to life again then all graves are empty tombs – they all mark people who no longer exist except as dust and ashes and memories – merely names carved on stone. If Jesus has not been raised all grief is without hope – we will never see those we love again. But if Jesus has been raised from the dead then those who believe and trust in him will share eternal life together.

To stand at the empty tomb of Jesus is to celebrate that death is no longer the final word in our lives either personally or as a world. In our second reading (Luke 21:5-19) Jesus teaches his disciples that after his death and resurrection he will return to his Father for a while before he returns to earth again at the end of time. In the meantime there will be suffering, wars and disasters, and his followers will be persecuted. His promise is that those who remain faithful will receive eternal life. But when he returns death and suffering, along with war and disaster, will be got rid of once and for all and justice will be done. Without that empty tomb, death, suffering, wars and disasters will continue, and evil will go unpunished.

So as we gather around the cenotaph, the empty tomb, let us remember those who died and pray for those who suffer and who work for peace. But let us also remember that it is only by gathering by faith around the empty tomb of Jesus that there is the certain hope of an end to injustice, suffering, wars and death.

The point of a 'Pointless' festival

Here's my May article:

You may know the TV quiz 'Pointless' in which contestants try to find answers that no-one else can think of. If the question asked people what the major festivals of Christianity are, I would suspect that most people would be able to name Christmas and Easter. A smaller number might name Pentecost or Whit Sunday, but I would be surprised if many said Ascension Day. However Ascension Day commemorates one of the greatest days in Jesus' story, and one which is great news for us.

In Acts 1:3 Luke tells us that after his resurrection Jesus gave many convincing proofs that he was alive and appeared to his disciples over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. Then he commissioned them to be be his witnesses to all the world and “he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.” (Acts 1:9). The actual ascension event, though mysterious, is not what is significant about Ascension Day rather it is the implications of Jesus' ascension that give Ascension Day its importance.

But before we can see the significance of Jesus' ascension we need to remind ourselves of his resurrection. Luke tells us that when Jesus appeared to his disciples the evening of the first Easter Day he took great care to prove that he was not a ghost by eating (Luke 24:36-43), and John records Jesus showing Thomas his wounds and inviting him to touch them (John 20:26-27). Jesus was raised physically and had a tangible body – in other words Jesus retained his humanity after his death and resurrection.

Therefore Ascension Day is essentially the opposite of Christmas Day (or more properly nine months before Christmas Day!): on Christmas Day we celebrate the Incarnation, i.e. God coming to earth as a human; and on Ascension Day we celebrate the God-Man returning to the heavenly realm and sitting at the right hand of God the Father. And if we put that together with what we know of Jesus' resurrection we discover something amazing – humanity is present at the very closest proximity to God the Father, and more than that, as Jesus is God the Son, the second Person of the Trinity, humanity is now part of the Trinity itself!!

This is amazingly good news! Those who repent and believe in Jesus don't become disembodied spirits (nor angels!) after death and they won't exist separately from God. We will retain our humanity, which will be exalted and united with God. As Graham Kendrick wrote in his worship song 'Meekness and Majesty' “Lord of infinity, stooping so tenderly, lifts our humanity to the heights of his throne.” But it's not just good news for the future: Jesus is at the right hand of his Father, praying for us (Romans 8:34) so we can be bold to approach our Father God with our own prayers (Hebrews 4:16).

Ascension Day may be a 'Pointless' festival but it reminds us of what Jesus has done for us, what he is doing for us, and what awaits us in the future!

To be a bee or not to be a bee

Here's my Easter article:

Before I came to these parishes I was curate in Brigg, which for me was a steep learning curve as the Brigg parishes were of a different church tradition than the church I was brought up in. So I got a shock when we were starting to plan the services for my first Easter there, and the vicar said to me that I should do the Exultet – I had no clue what the Exultet was!

The Exultet, also known as the Easter Proclamation, is an ancient hymn traditionally sung before dawn on Easter Sunday, and as I found out to my horror, it is sung unaccompanied and in Gregorian chant! It is a hymn which encourages all of creation to rejoice and praise God for the salvation that Jesus brings by his death and resurrection. And it is usually sung next to the large Easter candle, which symbolises the recurring metaphor of the darkness of sin and death being defeated by the light and life of Jesus. Surprisingly, within this hymn praising God's work, there is a bit of a digression to praise the work of bees!

In recent years the importance of bees has been increasingly recognised as the bee population decreases. Bees can be vital for the growth of a lot of the food that we eat, and so we are being encouraged to grow more flowers, particularly wildflowers. And around the seventh century, when the Exultet was probably written, bees produced honey which was one of the few sources of sweetness, as well as providing wax for light-giving candles. It is in connection with candles that bees are mentioned in the Exultet – the Easter candle is “the work of bees and of your servants’ hands” and “is fed by melting wax, drawn out by mother bees to build a torch so precious.” The candle reminds us of the work of Jesus and so we are to be thankful for bees for their part in providing this.

Bees aren't, however, just useful for what they produce, historically bees have also been held up as examples of how to behave. As Pope Pius XII said in an address to beekeepers in 1948, bees are examples both of hard work and co-operation, where different bees do different jobs and all for the good of the hive rather than for self-centred reasons. There are also lessons that we can learn about true worship from bees being devoted to a single queen, being ready to sacrifice themselves for the queen and giving their best produce (royal jelly) for the queen.

Most importantly, the re-appearance of bees and many other plants and creatures in the spring point us to the resurrection of Jesus. Easter speaks of the re-creation of the world made possible through Jesus' death and resurrection, and that only through that re-creation can the harmonious society, traditionally exemplified by bees, become a reality. And our call as 'bees' in that re-created society is to work and to feast on honey!

Living Hopefully

Wildflowers in Scawby churchyard

Here's my article for April:

Spring has sprung and in the natural world we are seeing signs of new life, and with them brings hope that the cold winter days are past and the warm (and maybe even hot!) days of summer are on their way. But it's not just in nature that hope is springing: with the government 'road map' we have a hope that the dark days of the pandemic are coming to an end and the bright days of 'normality' are getting closer. Although hope is a powerful emotion that can keep us going through difficult times, it is good to question what the grounds of our hope are.

As we emerge from the shadow of COVID-19, the obvious grounds for our hope is in the vaccines, and then (as it has been throughout the pandemic) in the NHS to treat us if we fall ill. But these aren't solid grounds for hope. With each variant that appears there is concern that the vaccines won't be effective against that strain of the virus. With each rise in cases there is concern that the NHS will not be able to cope with demand – it is not surprising that one of the constant slogans has been to 'Protect the NHS'. The development of the vaccines is something to be celebrated and the NHS do fantastic work with all sorts of medical needs, but vaccines and the NHS are not solid foundations on which to build our hope of overcoming this plague, still less are they solid foundations on which to build our hope of overcoming the root cause of our fears about the virus.

We are desperate for protection against the virus because ultimately we fear death. To those who believe that the physical world is all that there is, death makes all our lives ultimately meaningless. As it says in Ecclesiastes 5:15 “We leave this world just as we entered it—with nothing. In spite of all our work there is nothing we can take with us” (Good News Translation). To those who do believe in a supernatural afterlife, death brings the uncertainty of eternal existence – uncertain because of not knowing what the outcome will be. The general sense that if you're good enough you'll have a nice eternal existence sounds reassuring until you ask the question of what 'good enough' means, and if we're honest, we don't even come up to our own standards! Death then is something to be feared and therefore our only hope is to delay it as much as possible. Unless there is a better and more solid ground for hope.

Thankfully, there is a better hope – the new life of spring overcoming the death of winter is one way God points us towards the good news of Easter; that Jesus' death and resurrection mean that death is no longer something to be feared. Our lives have meaning because they don't stop at death, and we can be forgiven for our constant failure to be 'good enough' because Jesus took our punishment on the cross. Just as we benefit from the work of many scientists by having the vaccine so we can benefit from Jesus' sacrifice by putting our faith and trust in him. So this Easter, live hopefully!

Grieving in lockdown

Here's my article for November:

In the church November is traditionally a month to remember loved ones that have died, and some churches hold memorial services where the deceased are remembered (though others like us hold them around Christmas time). This year, however, a lot of these services will not be able to take place, at least not in the usual way. And for a lot of people this will be very difficult.

As the lockdown started and attendance at funerals was limited, the feeling was that everything would be getting back to normal by September and we could hold individual memorial services for those who'd had limited funerals. The annual memorial service would also become an even more important part of the grieving process. Those feelings seem to be a long time ago!

Grief can be a terrible state, but the effect of the pandemic on the bereaved is immense. Not only were funerals not able to be as planned or desired, but contact with the dying loved one was often difficult or impossible and the normal human reactions of hugs of consolation etc. were discouraged. It is also difficult for those who have been bereaved in previous years: birthdays and anniversaries may have usually involved family get-togethers or visits to significant places, but this year had to marked in very different ways. The virus has claimed lots of lives, and continues to make it difficult for those who mourn.

What can we say in these circumstances? As the cold November rain falls, the threats of lockdowns continue, and the light at the end of the tunnel turns out to be a train heading towards us, is there any comfort?

When Jesus started his ministry Luke records that he gives his 'mission statement' quoting from Isaiah 61, which includes these words “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me...He has sent me to bind up the broken-hearted...to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion – to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.” Although this first and foremost applies to those who grieve because of their sins, it also applies to grief in the usual sense. And Jesus fulfils this mission in two ways: firstly he walks with us 'through the valley of the shadow of death' (Psalm 23). Even when governments stop us gathering together and comforting each other in the usual ways, they cannot stop Jesus being present with us; and he can touch our innermost parts, our deepest hurts and longings, and he can heal them.

The second way he fulfils his mission is even more wonderful: he defeats death itself by dying and rising back to life. It is no longer a threat. It is no longer the end. Jesus lives! Death (and COVID-19) is defeated! And in the words of a hymn: “Because He lives, I can face tomorrow, because He lives, all fear is gone; because I know He holds the future, and life is worth the living, just because He lives!”

What does it mean to be human?

Here's my article for the August magazine:

A lot of magazines at the moment will be giving advice on how to get the perfect beach-body, although it might be a bit late for this year! We often have a love-hate relationship with our bodies and both those attitudes have their down-sides.

On the one hand our society tends to idolise the body. Body-worshippers, both male and female, can be found at the gym, in the beauty salons, and strutting the streets in their designer clothes. Beauty and physical fitness are seen to be the ideal; we are judged on both and if we fall short of the standard we are deemed less worthy, less love-able than others. At its extreme this leads to designer babies and aborting children with disabilities, but it also shows itself in the social media pre-occupation with selfies, 'likes' 'ops' and 'rates'. Idolising the body leads not only to vanity but also to body shaming and self-esteem issues.

On the other hand there can be a despising of the body where the 'spirit' of a person is seen to be the only authentic 'person' and the body is merely a vehicle for the spirit. In Christian Theology this is known as the heresy of 'Gnosticism' but it is a common belief of Eastern religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism, and the New Age beliefs inspired by them. This separation of body and spiritual means that the body can be used and abused in any way particularly if it will 'enhance' the spirit's well-being.

Christianity, however, gets a different perspective on the body from the Bible, and in particular from its key doctrines of creation, incarnation and resurrection. The Creation story in Genesis teaches that God made humans, male and female, as 'ensouled flesh' i.e. as physical bodies infused with his living spirit. Our bodies are essential to our being, so much so that God says that he forms us in the womb (Jeremiah 1:5) and the Psalmist speaks of God knitting and weaving us in our mothers' wombs so we are wonderfully made (Psalm 139:13-16). There is no separation between our bodies and our spirits: we are our bodies as much as we are our spirits.

The incarnation reminds us that not only did God make us to be flesh and blood, but that in Jesus he became human, complete with flesh and blood. Another heresy in the early church said that only Jesus' body was human, while his mind was divine. However, Jesus was like us in every way, flesh and blood (Hebrews 2:14,17) and mind too (Hebrews 4:15). Body and spirit together make up a human being and God affirmed the value of human beings by becoming one!

The resurrection accounts of Jesus make it very clear that he was raised physically and spiritually. Jesus even says to his disciples “Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have” (Luke 24:39). This tells us that we're not waiting for death to release our spirits from our bodies but that we're waiting for our bodies to be renewed to be imperishable, glorious and powerful (1Corinthians 15:42-44). So, whether you're beach-ready or not: love your body, care for your body and worship the God who created your body.

If there were no resurrection...

Here's my magazine article for April:

The resurrection of Jesus is the most important event in the whole history of the universe. And not just because to celebrate it we have a day when you're allowed to eat chocolate at every meal and for every snack in between! Jesus' death is the centre of the Christian faith but it's his resurrection that gives his death its meaning.

Paul wrote that the most important belief is “that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve” (1 Corinthians15:3-5). Later in the same chapter he writes “if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins” (verse 17). Our sins can be forgiven because Jesus died in our place but it is his resurrection that guarantees that his sacrifice worked.

Jesus predicted that he would die and be raised to life again (Mark 8:31) so his resurrection proves that his teaching is trustworthy and true. Therefore, when he says that he gives his life “as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45) we know that is true too. Anyone could say that they will give their life as a ransom for many but the resurrection is proof that Jesus actually did it. Without the resurrection, Jesus could be seen as just a wise teacher or guru, or even as a tragic hero who died because he challenged the establishment. With the resurrection we can be sure that Jesus' death was the sacrifice needed to take the punishment we deserve for our sins. We also know that sin has been dealt with because the consequence of sin is death (Romans 6:23); Jesus' resurrection proves that he has conquered death and therefore also conquered sin.

But the resurrection is more than a proof so that we know we can be forgiven. Paul tells us “We were therefore buried with [Jesus] through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life” (Romans 6:4). That new life has the qualities of eternal life (closeness to God, freedom from slavery to sin, freedom from fear of death) but is available here and now. Jesus' resurrection means we can have a fresh start; forgiven for our past sins and a future close relationship with God. Jesus' resurrection means that salvation isn't something that happens after death but is a state of life before death that carries on beyond death. As Jesus said, he came so that those who believe in him “may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10).

So this Easter as you munch your way through excessive amounts of chocolate, think about the world-changing event that that chocolate celebrates: Jesus' resurrection. And more importantly, think what Jesus' resurrection means to you. In Romans 10:9, Paul assures us “if you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Sherlock and the Resurrection

Here's my magazine article for April:

I really enjoyed the latest series of the BBC drama 'Sherlock' and there was one particularly striking scene in the second episode 'The Lying Detective'. In the previous episode [SPOILER ALERT!] Dr Watson's wife, Mary, had thrown herself in front of Sherlock when he was shot at and she died. Watson recognises that Sherlock blames himself and wants to reassure him. He says “Mary died saving your life. It was her choice. No-one made her do it. No-one could ever make her do anything...but the point is: you did not kill her.” Sherlock then replies quietly “In saving my life, she conferred a value on it...It is a currency I do not know how to spend.” (Thanks to http://arianedevere.livejournal.com/90556.html for the transcript of the words!)

The theme of self-sacrifice is a common one in stories, but Easter gives us the opportunity to focus on the true ultimate sacrifice; Jesus' death on the cross. Just like Mary, Jesus' sacrifice was freely chosen; he said “No one takes my life from me. I give it up willingly!” (John 10:18 Contemporary English Version). But more importantly he died to save our lives. The prophet Isaiah foretold the death of Jesus in these words: “it was our grief he bore, our sorrows that weighed him down... But he was wounded and bruised for our sins. He was beaten that we might have peace; he was lashed—and we were healed! We—every one of us—have strayed away like sheep! We, who left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet God laid on him the guilt and sins of every one of us!” (Isaiah 53:4-6 The Living Bible).

The wonderful good news of the cross is that Jesus took the punishment that we deserve because of our sins so that we could be forgiven and be reconciled with God. The wonderful good news of Easter is that Jesus rose from the dead so that we too could have a fresh start. This is the central message of Christianity and if it's true it has huge implications for each one of us.

Sherlock realises that Mary thought that his life was valuable enough to be worth saving. Knowing that Jesus died for us should make us realise that he thinks we are valuable, that he loves us so much that he gave his life to take the punishment we deserve. Society often values people based on their job, wealth, beauty, popularity or usefulness. God loves each of us regardless of what society thinks of us and amazingly he loves us even though we rejected him and were his enemies: “God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners” (Romans 5:8 TLB). We don't have to be good enough for God to love us, he loves us even though we're never good enough.

Which leaves us with Sherlock's problem: this value on his life is a currency he doesn't know how to spend. He doesn't know how to live in response to Mary's act. If we truly understand what Jesus did for us on the cross we too have to decide how to respond. The great hymn “When I survey the wondrous cross” gives us the answer. The only appropriate response to the love that is so amazing, so divine is to give God 'my soul, my life, my all.' What is your response to the good news of Easter?

Speaking plainly about death

It's approaching the first anniversary of the death of our twins and with last Sunday's Gospel reading and the recent documentary by Rio Ferdinand, death is on my mind.

The reading set for last Sunday was John 11:1-45, and is the account of the raising of Lazarus from the dead. Lazarus and his sisters Mary and Martha are close friends of Jesus and when Lazarus falls ill, his sisters naturally call on Jesus to come to help. Jesus doesn't go immediately but waits a couple of days before setting out. In the meantime Lazarus dies, so when Jesus eventually arrives both Mary and Martha greet him with a mixture of grief, anger and accusation: "If only you had been here sooner this would not have happened!" Anger can often be a part of grief, and particularly anger towards God: "Why did you let this happen?" "If only you had done..." Mary and Martha's friendship with Jesus didn't protect them from the sorrows, worries and difficulties of life but it did allow them to be completely honest with him about how they felt, and at the same time to trust that he knew best. The worship sing that we held on to during our grief was Matt Redman's 'Blessed be your name', which talks of trusting God in the good times and in the bad times. It includes words from the Bible often heard at funerals: "You give and take away, my heart will choose to say 'Lord, blessed be your name.'" (Job 1:21)

Something else that struck me from the story of Lazarus was the discussion between Jesus and the disciples.

After [Jesus] had said this, he went on to tell them, ‘Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.’ His disciples replied, ‘Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.’ Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep. So then he told them plainly, ‘Lazarus is dead' (verses 11-14)

Jesus talks about Lazarus 'falling asleep' but the disciples misunderstand and assume that Lazarus is in some sort of coma state. So Jesus had to spell it out plainly "Lazarus is dead." This interaction reminded me of the language we often use about death and what that tells us about how we view death.

We use euphemisms such as 'fallen asleep', 'passed on/away/over', 'shuffled off this mortal coil' (I'll resist the temptation to go into Month Python's 'Dead Parrot sketch'!), partly to avoid facing the finality of death. "Lazarus is dead" said Jesus. Full stop. End of. (Well sort of!) One of the reasons Jesus delayed going to Mary and Martha's was to show that Lazarus really was dead. In Rio Ferdinand's recent documentary 'Being Mum and Dad' one of the widowed fathers said how important it was for him to use the words 'death' and 'killed' when talking to his children about their mother. Bereaved children often get confused with abstract language and euphemisms, and saying thing's like “they've gone away” or “they've fallen asleep” may lead to the child being afraid of holidays and bedtime. Children can usually cope a lot better with the 'blunt truth' whereas it's us adults that can't, often because we struggle to come to terms with the loss.

Our reluctance to let go of loved ones who have died also shows itself in beliefs about what happens after death. Aside from the theologically incorrect belief that we become angels after death (see one of my previous blogposts), there are the common beliefs that stars, robins, feathers, crisp packets (as Peter Kay parodies in his 'Live at the Top of the Tower' show) are proof that dead loved ones are watching over us or otherwise with us. Such thoughts are also evident in the poems often read out at funerals. A very popular one 'Do not stand at my grave and weep' says “I am a thousand winds that blow. I am the diamond glint on snow...Do not stand at my grave and cry. I am not there, I did not die!”

These beliefs are not only untrue and fanciful but also deeply unhelpful in the grief process. This seems counter-intuitive as they bring comfort to the bereaved, but in reality they show a reluctance to let go of a dead loved one and a reluctance to admit that they really have gone.

Of course religious belief has a large influence on common attitudes to death. Most religious systems teach some sort of afterlife, although Buddhism is one of the few belief systems that in which the ultimate aim is non-existence, or annihilation. Even secular and humanist funerals tend to shy away from the logical conclusion of their beliefs. It is rare to hear a secular or humanist funeral celebrant stating boldly that the person has died and is now no more than a load of atoms that will eventually become part of something else. Instead, 'humanist' funerals often talk of the person having gone on a journey which usually involves being reunited with previously deceased loved ones.

Christianity too shares some responsibility for these false beliefs, particularly in Western culture, as it proclaims the belief in the resurrection to eternal life. Indeed the raising of Lazarus makes exactly that point. Even though Lazarus will die again, Jesus is demonstrating that death will be defeated by his own resurrection. So how can this circle be squared? How can death be both final and not final?

Well the first thing to remember is that the dead are truly dead, their mortal existence is finished and there is a no interaction between the living and the dead. But Jesus' resurrection proves that death no longer has the final word, life after death is now possible. However, Jesus is also clear that the resurrection to eternal life, although it is available to everyone, will not be the outcome for everyone: “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die” (John 11: 25-26).

This belief in Jesus is not merely believing that he existed, or that he was a holy man or even that he was the Son of God, even the Devil believes that! The belief that Jesus is talking about is the 'true and lively faith' that is the subject of one of the Church of England's official homilies or sermons. It states:

Living faith is not only believing in the articles of the creed. It is also a sure trust and confidence in the mercy of God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, and a steadfast hope of all good things to be received at God’s hand. And that although we, through infirmity or temptation by our spiritual enemy, do fall from him by sin, yet if we return again to him by true repentance that he will forgive and forget our offences, for the sake of his Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ.

This true and lively faith is trusting that God will forgive us when we truly repent, because Jesus died to take the punishment we deserve.  (For more on this go to Christianity Explored)

The belief in the resurrection to eternal life is the only true comfort for grief, as St Paul wrote “Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14). So there are two types of grief: hopeless grief and hopeful grief. For those who die without a true and lively faith in Jesus there is no resurrection to eternal life, but “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). The Christian funeral service proclaims this good news of the resurrection through belief in Jesus but doesn't say if this promise applies to the person who had died. (Although for some people we can be fairly sure based on a life of true faith or the merciful view of young and unborn children).

This is because we can never know for sure what the status of someone's relationship with God is, we do not know if they died in the faith of Christ or not. This too can be a comfort as until we die it is never too late to turn to God. The thief who hung on a cross next to Jesus was promised life in Paradise after he came to believe in Jesus (Luke 23:39-43). Jesus' parable of the workers in the vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16) reminds us that those who come to a true and lively faith in Jesus late in life are just as much heirs to the promise of eternal life as those who have had such a faith for the whole of their lives. The great hymn 'To God be the glory' rejoices that "the vilest offender who truly believes, that moment from Jesus a pardon receives."

Ultimately, what the funeral service reminds us is that although for the person who had died time has run out to respond to the invitation of Jesus to believe in him, our time has not yet run out. Therefore we pray “give us grace to use aright the time that is left to us here on earth to turn to Christ and follow in his footsteps in the way that leads to everlasting life."

So we need to speak plainly about death. We need to acknowledge that the dead person has gone and is only 'with us' through our memories of them and not through stars or breezes or crisp packets. And we need to be clear that eternal life is only given to those who have a true and lively faith in Jesus during their earthly life. If we don't grasp these truths, hard as they may be, then we may live in the false comfort that our loved ones are 'safe' and 'happy' and therefore with the false hope that we too will be safe and happy and reunited with them after our deaths, even if we don't have a true and lively faith in Jesus. And false comfort and false hope are no comfort and no hope at all; and will not lead us to eternal life.  But there is a hope.

Turning from the crib to the cross

Here's my article for the February magazine:

For many people the Christmas celebrations last until you have to go back to work or school. For some Twelfth Night (6th January), which marks the end of the twelve days of Christmas, is the end of Christmas and the time to put the Christmas decorations away for another year. I always find this a bit sad as in the church calendar the wise men don't arrive until 6th January, which is also called Epiphany, so the crib scene is put away before they've had a chance to get there! In the church year however the season of Christmas lasts until 2nd February (so if you've still got decorations up don't worry!)

This feast is variously known as 'The Purification of the Virgin Mary', 'The Presentation of Christ in the Temple' or 'Candlemas' and comes forty days after Christmas. According to the Jewish law, forty days after the birth of a male child the mother was to come to the Temple in Jerusalem to be ritually 'purified' by offering a sacrifice. This event in Mary's life is recorded in Luke 2:22-40 and we know from this that Mary was poor as she was unable to afford a lamb but instead brought two pigeons for the sacrifice. At the same time the baby Jesus, as Mary's first-born son, was 'presented' at the Temple.

So far, so normal. But while they were there two extraordinary events occurred. Firstly, an old man named Simeon came up to the family, took Jesus in his arms and praised God for him (his song is now known as the 'Nunc Dimittis'). And secondly an elderly prophetess named Anna also gave thanks for Jesus. The reason they reacted as they did was because they recognised that Jesus was no ordinary baby. We are told that the Holy Spirit had revealed to Simeon that “he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah” (verse 26) and that Anna “spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem” (v38), in other words they recognised that Jesus was the Messiah prophesied in the Old Testament.

Simeon also recognised that Jesus wasn't just good news for the Jewish people, but that he was a light that would reveal God's message to the other nations too. As a reminder of the proclamation of Jesus as the Light of the World, this day also became a day when, in pre-electricity days, the candles for use in the church that year were blessed and people would also bring their domestic candles to be blessed. So it became the festival day (or 'mass') of the candles – Candlemas.

The Presentation also marks the shift in our focus from the crib to the cross. The Messiah whose birth we celebrate will be a Light to the World revealing God's message not just by his teaching and his miracles, but chiefly by his death and resurrection. The Presentation reminds us that you can't truly celebrate Christmas without believing in Easter.

Non angeli, sed sancti

Here's my article for the May magazines:

The first day of May is often said to be the first day of spring, where the blustery April showers are left behind in favour of fresh spring breezes. Spring, like Easter brings with it thoughts of new life. May is also the month when the church remembers St Augustine of Canterbury, a missionary who came to the British Isles in 569 AD to help spread the message about Jesus, and subsequently became the first Archbishop of Canterbury. Both these events have been in my mind in the last couple of weeks and have linked together.

Although Christianity was practised in Britain before he came, Augustine brought a new vigour to the task of spreading the gospel. He was sent by Pope Gregory the Great, who according to Bede, saw some British slaves in a Roman market and on seeing their pale faces and blond hair asked who they were. He was told they were Angles, to which he responded “non Angli, sed angeli” - not Angles but angels! It was this that inspired him with a desire to send a mission to the Angles.

The new life of spring echoed a new chapter in my family's life as we anticipated the birth of twins in September. Unfortunately there was a complication with the pregnancy and, despite an operation, both twins died at 18 weeks gestation. But the expectation of new life was fulfilled in a more complete way than we imagined as James and Jacob, as we named them, entered the new life that is a central part of our Christian belief. “For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him...And so we will be with the Lord forever” (1 Thessalonian 4:14, 17b).

We have received many messages of support and prayers, for which we are most grateful. However there's one message that we occasionally hear which strikes an odd chord, and that is words to the effect that James and Jacob died because God needs more angels. This springs from a folk belief that when people die, and especially babies, they become angels. My thought on hearing this said to me was a version of of Gregory's aphorism: “non angeli, sed sancti” - not angels but saints! James and Jacob, like all human beings, are made in the image and likeness of God. The angels are God's servants but through faith in Jesus humans can become his children and his children are saints.

The comments about our 'angel babies' are well-intentioned, and we are grateful for the love that inspires them, but there is surely a greater comfort in the truth that they are saints; they have the eternal life with God that we also can receive by faith in Jesus. Whereas it is almost impossible to know for certain whether or not someone who has died will have eternal life, babies who die will, in God's mercy, inherit eternal life. So if you have lost a baby in whatever way, either before or after birth, take comfort in the truth that they are not angels, but saints.

[see also my Advent blogposts on The Four Last Things: death, judgement, heaven and hell]