I am the Rector of two of the three churches in the world dedicated to St Hybald, one of which (Hibaldstow) contains his remains. This blog is mainly for my monthly parish magazine articles.
Disclaimer: Calling myself "Hybald's Rector" does not imply that St Hybald would agree with everything I say!!
It's going to be a very different Christmas this year, and as I write this (mid-November) we're not sure how different it's going to be, but we do know that it is going to be unlike any Christmas we've had before. But despite whatever restrictions will be in place, there is a general desire to make Christmas a happy and special time. One of the ideas is to ring bells outside at 6.00pm on Christmas Eve, which seems very appropriate as bells, especially of the jingle variety, are almost synonymous with Christmas. If you're in any doubt about that, try listening to the most summer-like song whilst shaking bells and you will think about Christmas!!
But why are bells associated with Christmas? The association probably goes back to the ringing of church bells to celebrate one of the great feasts of the church year and their sound of joy contrasting with the dark and miserable winter weather. This link has been solidified in the popular imagination by the use of bells as a warning on coaches and sleighs in the poor winter visibility, and of course no Christmas chart song is complete without bells!!
Surprisingly, there is no mention of bells in the Biblical accounts of Jesus' birth, although often they are mentioned in re-tellings of the story as the bells of heaven ringing in celebration or of the angels' songs sounding like bells. Indeed there is almost no mention of bells at all in the Bible, but cymbals are often included in lists of instruments used to worship God. However, one place where bells are mentioned are in the clothes that God instructs the High Priest to wear. In Exodus 28 God tells Moses to anoint his brother Aaron as the first High Priest and that at the bottom hem of a blue robe he should make pomegranates of blue, purple and scarlet yarn with gold bells between them. There are many different explanations of the purpose and symbolism of these bells, so we may never know for sure, but there are a couple that seem plausible to me.
Verse 34 says “The sound of the bells will be heard when he enters the Holy Place before the Lord and when he comes out, so that he will not die” and verse 43 repeats the warning. The bells then are possibly an audible reminder to the High Priest that he is entering into the special presence of God and therefore should put aside the 'worldly' clothes of sinfulness and put on the 'heavenly' clothes of holiness. Repentance is a pre-requisite for a relationship with God. But the bells are also a reminder that as the High Priest leaves that special presence of God, he doesn't leave that holiness behind but brings it out into the world – the soft sound of the precious gold being the wonderful message of God spoken into a cacophonous world.
The Bible tells us that Jesus is our Great High Priest (Hebrews 4), not just coming as a messenger from God but, as we celebrate at Christmas, 'God-with-us'; God himself in human form. And the wonderful message that he brings is that he has made it possible for all of us to enter into God's special presence because Jesus is not just the great High Priest but also because “we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Hebrews 10:10). So grab your bells or anything else to celebrate the good news that makes Christmas worth keeping whatever our circumstances!!
For our Advent reflections this year we're looking at the titles Jesus is given in Isaiah's prophecy in Isaiah 9:6 “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
This week's title for Jesus is probably one of his best known - Prince of Peace - but it doesn't necessarily mean what we think it does. The image we sometimes have is of Jesus being the most calm and peaceful person ever; someone who floats above life never getting phased by anything or anyone; the 'ideal man' of Rudyard Kipling's poem 'If' who treats triumph and disaster the same. You only have to read a couple of chapters of one of the Gospels to know that Jesus was fully human and experienced human emotions like anger, tiredness, grief and exasperation. So what then does the title Prince of Peace mean?
To the Israelites of Isaiah's day the title 'Prince' did not necessarily mean royalty, but was used of a military leader and so it links with the 'Mighty God' title to denote power and authority. Often in the Old Testament the title Prince is used of a national leader (Ezekiel 38) and even of a supernatural being who has responsibility for a nation (e.g. Daniel 10). But Jesus, even though he is the Jewish Messiah, is not a national leader or even a tribal God, he is the Prince of Peace.
For us, peace usually means the absence of war or conflict between nations or groups of people, but the Hebrew word 'shalom', which we usually translate as peace, is better translated wholeness. So Jesus, as Prince of Peace, is going to fight a battle to bring wholeness. When we looked at the title 'Mighty God' we thought about the battle that Jesus fought against the powers of evil, sin and death which he defeated by this death and resurrection. The consequence of that victory is that we who are sinners can be forgiven because he died to “redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good” (Titus 2:14). Humanity was broken by Adam's disobedience but Jesus' obedience even to death and resurrection restores those who trust in him to wholeness. Thus we can, by the Holy Spirit be conformed to Christ's likeness.
Not only can we be restored as humans but more importantly as St Paul wrote “we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). Our relationship with God is restored and made whole again. And it is only by having that relationship restored, and by the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, that reconciliation between people can be achieved. Only by recognising that we are all sinners; all equally in need of God's mercy; all unworthy recipients of God's grace; that we can truly forgive those who have sinned against us.
Jesus is the Prince of Peace and of the increase of his peace there will be no end (verse 7). We celebrate what he has achieved on the cross but look forward to his return when his eternal reign of peace will be over all the world. In the meantime, we are called to share this wonderful message: “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, ‘Your God reigns!’” (Isaiah 52:7). Let's make the most of the opportunity that Christmas gives us to tell others the good news!
For our Advent reflections this year we're going to look at the titles Jesus is given in Isaiah's prophecy in Isaiah 9:6 “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
The previous two titles Isaiah gives to Jesus are fairly straightforward, but today's makes us stop and think. I suspect when we hear the verse in the midst of a fuller reading we mentally skip this title and think about the other three, and that is because we've just called Jesus the 'Everlasting Father'. We looked last week about Jesus as 'Mighty God' and how that reminds us that not only is Jesus divine but there is a plurality within the Godhead. We find it hard enough to get our heads around the doctrine of God as Trinity; Three-in-One and one-in-Three, but now we seem to be saying that God the Son is also the 'Everlasting Father'!
This title is used to emphasise two aspects of the Messiah: firstly that he is everlasting – that he has no beginning or end. His everlasting or eternal nature is also brought out in the surrounding verses that speak of there being no end to his reign. This is yet another indication of Jesus' divinity.
Secondly, the title tells us that his character is father-like. His government will not rule by fear and oppression but will be characterised by peace, justice and righteousness (verse 7). Isaiah 40:11 says “He tends his flock like a shepherd: he gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.” Jesus picks up on this language when he refers to himself as the Good Shepherd (John 10) and refers to his disciples as his 'children' (John 13:33). Jesus will be father-like because he is a compassionate provider and protector.
To call Jesus 'Everlasting Father' is not to confuse him with God the Father, but to remind us that he is one with the Father (John 10:30, 38) and he is the perfect image of God the Father, the exact representation of his being (Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 1:3) If we want to know what God is like we look at Jesus (John 14:9-10).
But Jesus is also a Father in a special way in that he is the author and pioneer of our salvation (Hebrews 2:10-13 and 12:2). As Matthew Henry wrote in his commentary on Isaiah 9:6 “[Jesus] was, from eternity, the Father of the great work of Redemption: his heart was upon it; it was the product of his wisdom, as the Counsellor; of his love, as the everlasting Father”.
For our Advent reflections this year we're going to look at the titles Jesus is given in Isaiah's prophecy in Isaiah 9:6 “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
“Unto us is born a son, unto us a child is given” Isaiah proclaims, and the question is who is this child? Isaiah has already prophesied the birth of a son in 7:14 - “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel” and the word translated 'virgin' could simply mean a young woman. In 8:3 Isaiah marries a prophetess who gives birth to a son who might be the immediate fulfilment of this prophecy. However, the deeper meaning of the prophecy is brought out in 9:6.
We saw last week how the son is to be a 'Wonderful Counsellor' which could be applied to a great human. If you think about some of the famous figures in history, there is often something about them or their lives which inspires wonder, and thousands of memes spread wise words that have been spoken through the ages. However the next description of the son leaves us in no doubt about who he is: he is the 'Mighty God'.
There is no distinction to be made here between Jesus as the 'Mighty God' and YHWH / Jehovah as the 'Almighty God' as if Jesus were some sort of demi-god or a lesser deity. This is because YHWH (the personal name for God in the Old Testament identified as the one Creator God and the God who made a covenant with Abraham and his family) is also called 'Mighty God' in Isaiah 10:21 and Jeremiah 32:18. So the 'son' is clearly identified as equal to the one Creator and covenantal God YHWH, and here we have another reference to a plurality within the Godhead, which eventually comes into focus in the doctrine of the Trinity. Therefore, 'virgin' is an appropriate translation, not only because the word refers to a young, unmarried woman who in those times would have been a virgin, but also because a virgin giving birth points to the unique nature of the 'son' as both human and divine.
The name 'Mighty God' has overtones of powerfulness and strength particularly in battle, and this reminds us that Jesus didn't just come to do miraculous deeds, or give amazing teachings, but that he came to fight the spiritual enemies of sin and death. The contrast between a weak, helpless baby and a conquering warrior is one that is so great that many people will separate the baby Jesus from the adult 'Jesus Christ' – they are happy to celebrate his birth as being a joyous occasion, but they don't want to 'buy in' to what he did as an adult. However, in the good news of Jesus the two are inseparable: Paul tells us “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15) and Jesus himself said that he came to give his life as a ransom (Mark 10:45). The way he saved sinners is by defeating sin and death through his death on the cross (Colossians 2:13-15).
To acclaim Jesus as the Mighty God is to remind ourselves that there is no greater power in heaven or on earth than him. So we need not be afraid of our own failings, or death, or even COVID-19. Turn to Jesus, the Mighty God, this Christmas and feel the power of his protection.
For
our Advent reflections this year we're going to
look at the titles Jesus is given in Isaiah's prophecy in Isaiah 9:6
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the
government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful
Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
The first title that Isaiah
foretells for Jesus is 'Wonderful Counsellor'. Jesus is wonderful in
the sense that he arouses in us a sense of wonder and awe and marvel.
Unfortunately, we are so familiar with the events of Jesus' life
that they lose something of that sense of wonder, but as we read the
gospels we are constantly told how the reaction of the crowds to
Jesus was one of amazement, not just at his miracles, but also at his
teaching (e.g. Mark 1:27). It is the same as we approach Christmas;
familiarity blind us to the amazing events surrounding Jesus'
birth, like the angels, the star and the virgin birth itself.
Similarly, we need to recover our wonder at the very coming of Jesus,
how “...within a manger lies / he who built the starry skies”
“And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by
becoming obedient to death – even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:8). The most wonderful thing about Jesus is that he came to earth
from his glory in heaven so that he could die to redeem us from our
sins.
The title 'Counsellor'
helps us to see in greater detail what Jesus does. It firstly
reminds us of Jesus' place in the Trinity: the Father, Son and Holy
Spirit are a communion of Persons in perfect unity. The idea of them
taking counsel together is a really difficult one to comprehend
because we humans take counsel in order to fill in gaps in our
knowledge, but God has no such lack of knowledge. The Divine
'consultation' (which we see for example in Genesis 1:26) is more a
reminder that each Person of the Trinity acts freely to fulfil the
Divine will. So in the Philippians quote we saw that Jesus was
obedient to the Father, and in John 16:13 Jesus tells us that the
Holy Spirit “will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he
hears [from the Father and the Son]” - in both cases there is the
inference that the Son and the Spirit choose to act in that way.
This contradicts the argument of atheists like Richard Dawkins who
say that the Father commits child-abuse by sending Jesus to die for
our sins. The crucifixion was the eternal plan of the Trinity for
the atonement of human sin – Jesus went to his death willingly
because it was his plan from before Creation! This is reflected in
another way the phrase 'Wonderful Counsellor' can be translated:
“Wonder-working Planner”.
Jesus' rôle as
Counsellor also tells us about his relationship to us – he imparts
wisdom and truth to us. But he is not just one more voice among
many, he is not someone whose teachings have the same value as any
other speaker – only he has the words of eternal life (John 6:68),
because only he is Wisdom (1 Corinthians 1:24) and Truth (John 14:6).
Despite this, Jesus' words do not come to us as a divine diktat, but
as an invitation to life in all its fullness and a sign that he is
concerned with our welfare – whoever obeys his words will never see
death (John 8:51). In these uncertain and frightening times, who
better to turn to than our Wonderful Counsellor?
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!”
October is often a month when we think about Harvest Festivals and the natural world. The year started (though it seems a lifetime ago!) with rallies and protests about climate change, and the rise of Extinction Rebellion, and the reminder again of humanity's rôle in looking after the world in which we live.
This has deep biblical roots which go back to the first book of the Bible in the creation story in Genesis 1 and 2. There we learn that God is the Creator “of all that is, seen and unseen” (as we say in the Creed), and that it was good. We also learn that after the creation of humanity, in the image and likeness of God, it became very good. However humanity's position as the pinnacle of creation comes with responsibilities: to rule over the natural world (Genesis 1:26) and to work the ground (Genesis 2:5). The responsibility to work the ground helps define what is meant by 'ruling over' the natural world: we're to work in harmony with it; to look after it; for the good of us and it. Thus we sometimes talk of being 'stewards' rather than 'rulers' of the world. Unfortunately, due to the sinfulness of humanity, described in Genesis 3, we have taken that responsibility to rule over the natural world and turned it into an excuse to exploit the world's resources for our own selfish needs.
The environmental situation was then displaced in the news by the COVID-19 pandemic, but some made a link between the two. The need to reduce carbon emissions which was said to be impossible at the beginning of the year, suddenly became a reality as airports were shut and only essential travel in cars was allowed. Some claimed that the world was fighting back, and that Mother Nature had created the virus in order to heal herself. Whilst a lot of this talk was metaphorical, it shows that you only need to scratch the surface to find pagan ideas latent in our folk memory. In many ancient belief systems the natural world was controlled by (often capricious) gods who needed to be placated otherwise they would send punishments of plague or disasters such as droughts or floods. Supreme amongst these nature gods was the Earth goddess, and 'Mother Earth' often played the key rôle in creating the universe through intercourse with the 'Father Sky' god.
Amidst these ideas the biblical creation narrative stands out as unique. God alone creates all that is and amongst the things it specifies that he creates are sky, water, earth, sun, moon and stars. In ancient beliefs these were often said to be the most powerful of the 'nature gods', but the Bible tells us they are not divine at all, indeed humanity is greater than all of them. Therefore there is no Mother Earth that we have angered and need to placate by our environmentally friendly actions. However there is a Father God, whose love we have rejected by disobeying his commands, including to be stewards of the world. The problem of environmental damage is ultimately a problem of human sin, not just because of our exploitation of it but because our rebellion also cursed creation (Genesis 3:17-18). Therefore the remedy for environmental damage is a Saviour: not in the form of a Mother goddess nor an environmental activist, but in Jesus who invites us to repent of our sins and promises us his Spirit to help us to change; and at whose return all creation will be renewed.
In a world where news is instant and even daily newspapers are out of date by the time you read them, writing a monthly article a few weeks in advance is quite challenging as it's impossible to know what the situation will be when you read it. One thing COVID-19 has taught us is that things can change very quickly. And especially (at the time of writing!) when lockdown is being eased and therefore there is an increased chance that infections will rise. The guidelines coming from the government can change almost daily. This particularly affects those who run businesses or organisations but it also affects employees and indeed everyone. Ever-changing guidelines and regulations can confuse and disorientate us.
In such a world, the way God reveals himself to us in the Bible comes as a great comfort. In Malachi 3:6, God says “I the Lord do not change” and throughout the Old Testament (e.g. Psalm 18; Isaiah 26:4) he is referred to as a rock – an image of security, stability and strength. When all around us is uncertain and like shifting sands, we can rest peacefully if we are anchored on his unchanging nature. God is often contrasted with the fickleness or deceitfulness of humanity (1 Samuel 15:29) or the fleetingness of creation (Psalm 102:25-27), which reminds us that everything (including COVID-19) will pass away. Because he is eternal and unchanging, Peter wrote “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7) and Paul wrote “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7). So by trusting in God we have nothing to fear; neither disease, nor unemployment, nor even death. As the hymn 'Great is thy Faithfulness' says: “There is no shadow of turning with Thee; Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not, as Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be...All I have needed Thy hand hath provided - Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!”
Hebrews 13:8 says that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever, confirming that Jesus is God and so his character does not change either. Instead, Jesus is the demonstration of (as Brennan Manning says in 'The Ragamuffin Gospel') God's 'magnificent monotony', his constant attitude of relentless love towards us. So not only is God eternal and unchanging, he is also unceasingly loving towards us. He is not waiting for us to slip up so he can punish us, he is wanting us to realise that our sins separate us from him and repent so our relationship with him can be restored. That is why the great truth of Hebrews 13:8 comes in the context of moral teachings – Jesus' character doesn't change, and neither do his teachings.
Sometimes we wish his teachings would change, like government guidelines on COVID do, because many of them are so out of step with the values of society. But if God's character towards us is constant then we can be sure that his guidelines and instructions are for our benefit, no matter how much they conflict with society or our personal preferences. His instructions are never out-of-date, primitive or not relevant today because they come from his eternal wisdom and love. And although they may sometimes be challenging and difficult, they are given to us by him who is the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6) and who promises us life in all its fullness (John 10:10).
Even though I lived in Liverpool for almost eight years, and I really like their music, and I even lived for a year on Penny Lane; I never once visited the Beatles museum. When I lived in Durham, most of the times I went into the Cathedral I was headed for the cafe. And although I've been here for almost nine years, I still haven't visited Gainsthorpe Mediaeval village. And I'm sure I'm not the only person who overlooks some of the wonderful things that are closest to us.
There has been a growing trend over the past few years for 'staycations' – holidays where you stay at home but do day trips to local attractions, going to the kind of places on your doorstep that we often overlook. This year of course staycations may be done more out of necessity rather than choice! One positive aspect of the COVID-19 situation is that we have come to appreciate some things in a new way, whether that's because we can't live without them (e.g. the keyworkers) or because it pains us not to have them (e.g. contact with family, friends and loved ones).
For many people not being able to go to church has been similarly painful. Doing church online has great benefits and we have learned the reality of the truth that the church is the people not the building. We may not be able to gather in the building, but the church-as-people can still gather to worship, pray and learn together, albeit virtually. However, as Amy Grant sang (or Joni Mitchell for those of an older generation!) “You don't know what you've got 'til it's gone” - we have come to appreciate our church buildings by being deprived of them.
We have learnt that the church-as-building is not just a venue where the church-as-people can gather. Of course we can and should pray at all times and in all places, but there is something special about praying in a place where people have prayed for hundreds of years – our prayers aren't heard more if they're said in church, but perhaps it is easier to feel that we are in God's presence there. The church-as-building is also a sign that God is always ready to listen to our prayers. Unfortunately, the closure of churches during this crisis has obscured this message. But just as the church-as-building being closed hasn't meant that the church-as-people can't gather, so neither does it mean that God is no longer listening.
Now we are allowed back into our church buildings, I hope we do it with a renewed sense of gratitude for them, as well as for the people who continue to maintain them. And if you are having a staycation this summer, perhaps you could make your parish church one of the places you visit!
This is a Guest Post by Ruth Illman (Authorised Local Minister for Broughton; Scawby & Redbourne; and Hibaldstow parishes)
Isn’t God’s created world just wonderful and glorious? This week I have watched two new kestrels calling to their parent whilst they follow and learn to hunt, last week I timed it right to watch the barn owl glide across the field and today I have spotted a stray pansy which has flowered in our lawn – a bright splash of yellow on a bed of green. A little bit of hope - how did that get there!
As I drive to church I have noticed the wonderful geraniums, the neat borders and the abundance of colour from well-kept gardens in Scawby. It all looks so colourful and tended with love and care.
My joy is however in our Church Yard at Scawby which is indeed God's own garden. It is far from pristine but it is abundant. Here for me is the cycle of rogation and harvest, planting and reaping, life cycles and natural development. I like the idea that there will always be flowers on the graves through natural growth.
To appreciate the churchyard you have to be prepared to look carefully. A pristine lawn is a work of art, a meadow or woodland is a creation.
Last year Lindsay, Carol and I counted and identified 49 different species of wild flowers between cuts, this year with longer cuts and allowing growth that number has started to increased. We plan to chart where everything is, identify the different grasses, lichens and trees and work on the insect, bird and animal life.
The plan is that the borders between the yews, the triangle of grass in front of church, under the bench and in front of the flower beds be kept short. The remainder be allowed to ‘meadow’ and kept under review. The objective is to encourage growth of wild flowers native to Scawby. Growth in the wooded area is less prolific apart from spring when we have a splendid display of aconites and snowdrops. These are usually followed by bluebells. The aim here is to increase the woodland plants by taking advantage of seeding from violets, and red and white campion growing locally.
I have noticed the graves which are visited and will make sure these are available.
A few people have mentioned the ivy and nettles to me. The ivy needs to be managed but at the moment provides ground cover and wildlife habitats, it protects seeds and it too flowers. The aim is to keep the graves stones free from it although it does protect some from further weathering. We are keeping a check on the nettles – the nettle flowers are pale green and the plant is much loved by butterflies but we don’t need it in abundance. Likewise the ground elder has its place but we need to introduce robust plants which can compete. We do not plan to introduce anything which will ‘take over’ e.g. balsam.
It would be wonderful if more people became involved. You might do a bug search, twilight bird watch, plant count, make some bug hotel’s or just realise how much of God’s creation you are missing in this wildlife haven.
Finally – our God's own Garden is a tranquil and prayerful place to sit to be at one with our maker. Enjoy.
From the start of
lockdown with the suspension of public worship, alongside our online
services (which you can find here) the interim Methodist minister, Rev. Enid, and I alternated to post
reflections on Facebook each Sunday, and every day in Holy Week.
Sunday 29th March 2020: Lent
5
It goes without saying that we are at a time of crisis – and I'm not just talking about the lack of toilet roll! A virus that can strike down anyone, including Prime Ministers and that has no cure as yet, can be a terrifying thing. And we see the scenes from other countries of rows and rows of coffins, with the ominous warning that we may only be four weeks or so from a similar situation. The result is a growing sense of fear.
The famous Psalm 23 (“The Lord's my Shepherd") speaks of confidence in a God who loves us and provides for us and was probably written when King David faced a time of crisis of his own. But rather than give in to fear he says “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me” (verse 4). Belief in God doesn't protect us from trouble, hardship or suffering but we can be confident that if we ask he will give us the spiritual and mental resources we need to get us through even the darkest of valleys.
As we start to think about the events of Holy Week and Easter, we're reminded that God doesn't look upon our suffering from afar, but came to us in Jesus to share our life and ultimately to die. But Easter also reminds us that that isn't the end of the story – Jesus was raised to life and death has been defeated – we have nothing to fear!! He now invites each of us to believe and trust in him so that we can dwell in his house for ever.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, our ever-present help in trouble, our fortress and our God: calm the anxious fears of all who turn to you; give strength and healing to those who are sick, and courage and skill to those who care for them; grant wisdom and clarity to those in authority; and humble us all to call upon you that we may be saved not only in this life, but also for that which is to come, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
Monday 6th April 2020: Monday of Holy Week
On the Monday of Holy Week Jesus went back into Jerusalem (having stayed the night at Mary, Martha and Lazarus' house in the village of Bethany) and went into the Temple courts. The Temple had four basic parts: the outermost part was the Court of the Gentiles. Entry to the other parts of the Temple was restricted to certain people, but this was where anyone could come to pray, and this was also where people could buy animals to sacrifice in the Temple and exchange their money into the Temple Shekel.
It was this outer court that Jesus entered and he “began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money-changers and the benches of those selling doves, and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts.” (Mark 11:15-16). This is not the 'gentle Jesus meek and mild' of popular imagination. This is a Jesus who rails not just against the corrupt and exploitative practices there, but more importantly against those who stopped it being a 'house of prayer for all nations'.
In these days when our 'houses of prayer' are locked to all of us, it is good to remind ourselves of how important Jesus considered worship and prayer to be. But we can also rejoice that we no longer need Temple or Church to worship God (John 4:21) – not just because we can gather online – but because Jesus is the one in whom we worship and he is available to all of us wherever we are. It is important for us to gather together to worship, but it is essential that we continue to worship even when we cannot gather.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, on the Monday you overthrew the market tables in the Temple. Give us the courage to challenge situations of injustice, and to worship you at all times and in all places. Lord, by your cross and passion, save us and help us. Amen.
Wednesday 8th April 2020: Wednesday of Holy Week
The Bible doesn't tell us what Jesus did on the Wednesday of Holy Week, so it is generally assumed that he and the disciples spent time with his closest friends, Mary, Martha and Lazarus. He had had a busy couple of days full of drama, confrontation and noise, so perhaps he needed a day to rest amongst those he loved in preparation for what lay ahead – this was possibly his last night's sleep before his death.
So the message of Holy Wednesday would usually be: don't forget to take time out of your busy life to spend with family and friends and God. However, at the moment the government is enforcing such rest on many of us! Some people are longing to get back to the chaos and rush of normal life. Others are longing to see loved ones who live at a distance. Rather than being a time of rest and refreshment, to many this is a time of frustration and worry. So what can Holy Wednesday say to us if that is how we are feeling?
The frustration comes from this rest being enforced and 'until further notice', however it should not stop us having a renewed appreciation of God's wisdom in commanding a Sabbath rest. This doesn't necessarily need to be a Sunday (although that will leave you free to come to church!!) but we should all aim for an uninterrupted 24 hour rest period each week as far as possible. Jesus knew he needed to rest if he was to be able to fulfil his mission the cross, and we need to rest otherwise we will be 'neither use nor ornament.' But this is also a time to reassess our priorities: in the rush to get back to normality we might want to think about what parts of normality are worth rushing back to.
To our key workers who would love to have this rest; thank you! To the rest of us, whether this time is a joy or an irritation, let us use it to listen to what God might be saying to us about the way we live our lives.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, on the Wednesday you spent time with your friends. We pray for our own families, friends and loved ones whether they are too close or too far away. We pray for all who feel lonely and all those who need a rest. Lord, by your cross and passion, save us and help us. Amen.
Saturday 11th April 2020: Holy Saturday
Holy Saturday is another day that the Bible doesn't tell us about, but it is easy for us to imagine. Jesus was dead and buried. The religious leaders and the Roman authorities were breathing a sigh of relief that the troublemaker was gone. The crowds looked for the next person they could hail as Messiah. But what about Jesus' disciples?
We know that on Easter Sunday they were in the upper room where they had celebrated Passover a couple of nights before, with the doors locked because they were afraid of the religious leaders (John 20:19). And they had good reason to be afraid: Jesus was put to death partly because he had threatened the power and status of the Jewish and Roman authorities, so it would be logical that his followers would be arrested for the same reason. But in addition to that fear, and probably overwhelming it, would be an immense sense of grief and loss; not just of a Master and a friend, but also of their hopes and dreams. They had given up jobs and left behind families to follow Jesus three years earlier; they believed him when he said that he was the Messiah and that the kingdom of God was at hand; they thought that they would be significant players in the new kingdom. But now all their hopes and dreams were shattered. They had left everything and now they had lost everything.
COVID-19 has had a similar effect on people. Some have lost loved ones. Some have lost livelihoods. Some have seen their plans for the future torn apart. And everyone has seen their normal lives turned upside down, with little or no sense of when or if 'normality' will return.
In these circumstances it's easy to skip over Holy Saturday in a rush to get to Easter Sunday – and we do need to focus on hope for the future, as the Queen put it: “We should take comfort that while we may have more still to endure, better days will return: we will be with our friends again; we will be with our families again; we will meet again.” But perhaps we could take today to focus on the desolation the disciples felt and the desolation of many people in the face of this virus.
Maybe take some time to read through the Psalms – you'll be surprised at how honestly some of the despair is described, or perhaps read Lamentations 3. The fact that God allowed these prayers of anguish into the Bible reminds us that we needn't fear telling God exactly how we feel.
Prayer: In the depths of our isolation we cry to you, Lord God: give light in our darkness and bring us out of the prison of our despair; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Sunday 12th April 2020: Easter Sunday
As Jesus bursts from the tomb on Easter Sunday, so joy should burst from us as we celebrate his resurrection. It is the greatest day in history: it changed the whole of creation forever. Why? Because death has been defeated! We Christians sometimes say that too easily, and those who don't believe dismiss it too easily. But think of the implications of that truth. Death is defeated. It is no longer a threat. It is no longer the end. As the hymn says “Jesus lives; thy terrors now / can, O death, no more appal us.”
We live in a world that fears death: in normal times millions is spent on products that rejuvenate, or at least hide the effects of ageing. Diets and exercise plans are great when used for a healthy lifestyle, but too often are vain attempts to put off death. And one thing that COVID-19 has shown us is that we still fear death. Now I'm not suggesting that we ignore government advice, but I am encouraging you to think about how you personally feel about the possibility that you could die. Not to think about how it would affect your loved ones but how you face your own death.
The most famous verse in the Bible, John 3:16, says that whoever believes and trusts in Jesus as their Saviour shall not perish, but have eternal life. That is why St Paul could write “to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). He knew that neither death nor life could separate him from God's love that is in Jesus (Romans 8:38), and so he, like many Christian throughout the centuries, was willing to suffer and die for his faith. For those who believe in him, Jesus' resurrection brings “strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow.”
Without the resurrection, life is meaningless: we will be forgotten in just a few generations, and few of us will leave a legacy that lasts beyond that - ultimately the world will be destroyed and everything humanity has achieved will disappear. But with the resurrection, we can spend eternity in the presence of the God who delights in us and all our achievements, however small.
Jesus lives! Death (and COVID-19) is defeated! And in the words of another 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!”
Prayer: Our God and Father, in whose great mercy we have been given new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead: strengthen us with that solid hope and calm our anxious thoughts and fears in the midst of the dangers we now face, that we who often stagger in desperate times may rejoice and be satisfied with him whose painful anguish of soul brought us the light of life. For we ask in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Thursday 23rd April 2020: St George's Day
Although this wasn't part of the pattern, I did a special reflection for St George's day.
St George, soldier and martyr – and that's pretty much all we know about him! According to tradition he was tortured and beheaded c.304 at Lydda, Palestine, and according to legend he killed a dragon. As a patron saint against plagues it is perhaps particularly appropriate that his feast day falls during a lockdown caused by a virus!
Although the story of George and the dragon is a legend, it perhaps reminds us that there is someone more powerful than those 'dragons' we face, whether they're viruses; uncertainty about the future; grief; broken relationships or anything else. In the legend George went into battle knowing God was with him, just like David did against the giant Goliath (1 Samuel 17), and God invites us to trust him and let him face our dragons with us.
And by being a martyr, by being willing to be put to death for his faith in Jesus, George reminds us about what we have just celebrated at Easter: that death holds no fear for those who trust in Jesus: “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 4:14).
Prayer: God of hosts, who so kindled the flame of love in the heart of your servant George that he bore witness to the risen Lord by his life and by his death: give us the same faith and power of love that we who rejoice in his triumphs may come to share with him the fullness of the resurrection; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, Amen.
Sunday 26th April 2020: Easter 3
For this Sunday I shared a link to Bear Grylls' reflections on Easter: https://youtu.be/pJmAMlU-wNU
Sunday 10th May 2020: Easter 5
The Coronavirus is a global crisis; it reminds us of the interconnectedness of our world – a virus starts in Asia and spreads over the whole world in a matter of a few weeks. We are also constantly looking at how other countries are responding to the crisis and comparing their statistics with ours. But it also makes us suspicious of other countries and makes us look after ourselves first.
This week is Christian Aid Week, an annual chance to remember that no matter how bad things are for us, usually our problems are small compared with others throughout the world. COVID-19 is spreading across the world’s poorest countries, putting people living in poverty at great risk. These people are already facing a lack of water, food and healthcare. Some are homeless or refugees. Some are living with underlying health issues. Some are also suffering from floods, famines, droughts, war and other disasters.
This week we have the chance to help not just our physical (but socially distanced!) neighbours but also our global neighbours. If you'd like to help this week, or any time, go to https://www.christianaid.org.uk/
Prayer: God of heaven and earth, in these times of isolation, apart from loved ones, distant from friends, away from neighbours, thank you that there is nothing in all of creation, not even coronavirus, that is able to separate us from your love. And may your love that never fails continue to be shared through the kindness of strangers looking out for each other, for neighbours near and far all recognising our shared vulnerability, each of us grateful for every breath, and willing everyone to know the gift of a full and healthy life. Keep us all in your care. Amen.
Sunday 24th May 2020: Easter 7
As we navigate when and how we ease out of lockdown there is a lot of anxiety about a second wave of COVID-19. In the Church year today is the Sunday after Ascension Day, and in some way marks the second wave of grief for the disciples.
After Jesus' death the disciples were devastated and despairing, but their grief was short-lived as it turned through confusion to amazement to rejoicing as the news of Jesus' resurrection filtered through. He then spent forty days with the disciples; eating with them, teaching them and commissioning them to go out and tell people about him. Then, as we remembered last Thursday, he was taken up to heaven, where he was made ruler of all things (Ephesians 1:20-23). We are told that the disciples stayed in Jerusalem – what might they have felt? This second wave of grief would not have been as bad as the first wave because they knew that Jesus was alive, and more importantly why he had had to die. But they still faced a separation from him, he would no longer be physically present with them as he had been before. And now they had this commission to go out into all the world and tell people about Jesus.
They must have wondered how a dozen or so people could achieve this, particularly as they faced possible arrest and execution if they tried. The answer was to be found in Jesus' cryptic promise that they would receive power when the Holy Spirit came on them (more on that next week from Enid!). However even before they received the Holy Spirit, they had the resources they needed.
The difference between the pre- and post-resurrection griefs is illustrated in Paul's first letter to the Thessalonians: the church there had been rocked by the the deaths of some of their members, but Paul did not want them to “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” (4:13-14). Before the resurrection the disciples grieved without hope, but after it they had confidence that death was no longer final; more than that, because they saw Jesus keeping his promise to come back to life, they could also be confident that he would keep his promise to be with them always.
So what keeps you going through this pandemic? Is it a vague, fingers-crossed hope that things will turn out OK, or is it a trust in the never-failing one who promises “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28)?
Prayer: Heavenly Father, our ever-present help in trouble, our fortress and our God: calm the anxious fears of all who turn to you; give strength and healing to those who are sick; and humble us all to call upon you that we may be saved not only in this life, but also for that which is to come, through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
Sunday 7th June 2020: Trinity Sunday
Today is Trinity Sunday, the day when we particularly remember that God has revealed himself as Father, Son and Holy Spirit; as the Athanasian Creed says: God is “one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity, neither confusing the Persons nor dividing the divine Being...not three Gods but one God...all three Persons are co-eternal with each other and co-equal.” Not the easiest concept to get our heads around, but that is who God tells us he is in the Bible.
And this helps us understand another easier-to-grasp definition God gives us of himself: “God is love” (1 John 4:8). Love cannot exist alone, the one who loves has to have someone to love. God existed before there was anything else so the only way he can be love is if he has always existed as a communion of co-eternal persons.
The Trinity is not an abstract theological concept, it is a description of how God reveals himself in the Bible and how he has been experienced by millions of people throughout history. But it also has practical consequences for us humans too.
At the moment people all around the world are rightly concerned about racial justice, and the slogan 'Black Lives Matter' is all over the news and social media. For many people it seems incredible that still in the 21st Century people from BAME communities face prejudice and discrimination from individuals and organisations because of their race. The question is frequently asked “Why does racism still exist?”
The answer is that racism is rooted in the sin of pride – thinking of ourselves as better than others, and it will only be solved when all of us admit to our own sinfulness, repent and ask God to forgive us and fill us with his Holy Spirit so that we will be more like him. And part of God's nature as Trinity is being one in essence yet three distinct Persons and “in this Trinity there is...no greater or less”. Unity yet diversity; equality yet difference. God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit model for us the only way we as humanity can truly live in harmony, and the only way racism and other forms of discrimination will be no more.
Prayer: Almighty God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit; you exist in a perfect communion of Persons, forgive us our pride in thinking of ourselves as better than others, and help us to live as you live, in a perfect unity of love in difference. Amen.
Sunday June 2020: Trinity 2
In today's Gospel reading (Matthew 10:24–39) Jesus warns his disciples that being a Christian will not be easy, in fact it will be very dangerous. And according to tradition, all but two of the original twelve were put to death for their faith in Jesus. The early Christians were put to death in an attempt to silence the message about Jesus and we often think that such actions belong to the un-Enlightened past, but recent events have proved that wrong.
The pulling down or vandalising of statues of figures from the past, some actions of whose we now regard as wrong, is a symptom of what has become known as the 'cancel culture'. People or views with which we disagree are no longer argued against, they are simply silenced and erased. There is no room for reason or debate, suppression is the only answer to things we don't like. Truth, context, logic and even science can all be set aside if someone shouts loud enough or can portray themselves as a victim. And ironically this is usually justified by doing it the name of 'tolerance', 'equality' and 'diversity'!
The reality is that only some things are tolerated; some are more equal than others; and only certain types of diversity are welcome. J. K. Rowling has recently found this out when she dared suggest that women's rights were being overlooked in favour of (some) trans rights, and received vitriol and hatred as a result.
The faults of a society, however, reflect the faults of us as individuals. All of us would like to airbrush out those parts of our past that we regret, and all of us would prefer not to hear opinions that we disagree with or that make us uncomfortable. It was this human tendency to silence inconvenient truths that led the authorities to crucify Jesus. But ironically it was Jesus' death that makes it possible for our past mistakes and disturbing truths to be forgiven and forgotten, at least by God.
Prayer: Holy Lord Jesus, you know the depths of our hearts, yet you still love us. Thank you for coming to take the punishment we deserve and for sending the Holy Spirit to make us more like you. Amen.
Sunday 5th July 2020: Trinity 4
Yesterday was 4th July when the USA celebrated being released from the shackles of British rule, and when England celebrated being released from (some of) the shackles of lockdown. This easing of lockdown has caused great relief and rejoicing in some people, and renewed horror and fear in others. Many businesses are able to resume trading; many employees are more confident about their financial future; and many people are able to be reunited with loved ones. However, the new freedoms also increase the risk of a resurgence of the virus, as Leicester knows only too well.
A couple of weeks ago we thought about the dangers of trying to airbrush our history, and this week we're reminded again of the need to learn from the more recent past and not simply to carry on as if the virus never happened. Our reading today from the gospel of Matthew (11:16-30) carries a similar warning about not learning from history.
Jesus criticized the people of some of the towns where he had performed miracles because they hadn't repented: they were more interested in being entertained than listening to the message Jesus was bringing. The miracles were signs that God's kingdom was breaking into this world and bringing healing, renewal and restoration – and that included the restoration of the relationship between us and God which was broken because of our sin. But people weren't listening. So Jesus warns them that on the Day of Judgement notoriously evil places like Sodom would fare better because if they had seen those miracles they would have repented and not been destroyed! This should make us think too. We have the privilege of having the whole of God's word revealed to us in the Bible, so we will have not have the excuse on Judgement Day that we didn't get the chance to hear Jesus' message.
The point of this is not that we have a massive guilt-trip, but that we repent and are renewed. So Jesus' invitation in verse 28 is for all who are weighed down with sin or worry or pain: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
Prayer: Eternal God, comfort of the afflicted and healer of the broken, lead us to repent of our sins and to bring our worries and needs to you, that you may fill us with your peace that is beyond our understanding. Amen.
My July article is usually on a theme from the musical production
that the children are doing at school, but for obvious reasons this
year they won't be doing one. However, if the juniors at Broughton
Primary School had been doing one, it would have been Mary Poppins,
so that's what I'm going to write about!!
One of the most memorable moments in the film, at least for me as a
child, is the scene where Mary Poppins tidies the nursery by clicking
whilst singing “A Spoonful of Sugar”. How I wished that I could
tidy my room just by clicking, and indeed I still wish I could!
Anyone who has been into my study will know that tidiness isn't one
of my superpowers!
The lockdown restrictions have meant that so much work and
socialising has been done online via video conferencing platforms,
and so our homes can be seen by many people who would not otherwise
see them. This has lead to a new word being coined: 'Zoom-tidy' –
which is where your room is a complete mess apart from the area that
can be seen by the camera on video calls, so all those you're
speaking to think your house is really tidy even if the opposite is
true. It's the modern equivalent of keeping one room in the house
that was only used when special visitors (like the Vicar) visited,
and getting the best china out to serve them tea.
But
we don't just Zoom-tidy our homes, we also Zoom-tidy our lives by
projecting the image of ourselves that we want people to see, and
only revealing those parts of our lives that fit in with that image.
A technique that life coaches or self-help books might use to explore
our relationship with others is the Johari Window or house. This
contains four areas or rooms where Room 1 is the
part of ourselves that we see and others see; Room 2 is the aspects
that others see but we are not aware of; Room 3 is our private space,
which we know but keep from others; and Room 4 is the unconscious
part of us seen by neither ourselves nor others. So Room 1 is the
Zoom-tidy part of our lives and Room 3 is the part of our lives that
we keep hidden.
The problem with this,
and all self-assessment techniques, is our incredible ability to
deceive ourselves and also our difficulty in acting in the best
interests of others, therefore the answers we give and others give to
us will likely be inaccurate. So the only way to prevent a Zoom-tidy
presentation of ourselves is to hear from someone who knows all the
facts and will also act in our best interest. The only candidate for
that is the Almighty God, our heavenly Father, to whom, as we often
say in our services, all hearts are open, all desires known, and from
whom no secrets are hidden. In his loving presence we can admit our
faults and failings and he assures us that he will forgive us and
clean us up on the inside (1 John 1:9 and Psalm 51). It may be
tough medicine to take but the help of the Holy Spirit is more than
enough sugar to help it go down!
Today in the Church calendar is sometimes kept as the Day of Thanksgiving for the Institution of Holy Communion (also known as Corpus Christi), which this year falls at a time when Holy Communion and all public worship is still suspended due to COVID-19. Holy Communion was of course instituted at the Last Supper on what we now know as Maundy Thursday, but the events of Jesus' death and resurrection often, rightly, are our focus that day, and so the wonderful gift of Holy Communion is overlooked. This Day of Thanksgiving gives us the opportunity to celebrate this gift.
Jesus' Last Supper was a Passover meal. The Passover celebrated the Israelites being spared from God's judgements and also them being set free from slavery in Egypt (Exodus 12) and the start of their journey to freedom in the Promised Land. While on the journey, God told them that if they sinned they had to sacrifice certain animals before they could be forgiven. The Passover meal reminds them of these things. Jesus used the Passover meal, and in particular the bread and wine, to illustrate that his death would be the real way that sins can be forgiven. Now we can be set free from the desire to sin ('slavery to sin') and be free to live as God wants us to live. Holy Communion, which Jesus commanded his followers to celebrate (1 Corinthians 11:23-26), reminds us of these things.
At the Last Supper Jesus gathered with his disciples and shared the bread and wine with them. But at the moment we are prevented from physically gathering and sharing, which is why we cannot celebrate Holy Communion. For a lot of people this is a painful deprivation, but perhaps its absence will help us to look beyond the ceremony to the deeper truths it reveals, particularly about presence and blessing.
Holy Communion is a Sacrament, which according to the Book of Common Prayer is an outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace, so by partaking of the bread and wine with faith we are spiritually partaking of the Body and Blood of Christ. God knows that we are physical creatures who often struggle with spiritual things because they are intangible, so he gave us the physical act of eating bread and drinking wine so that we can enact our receiving of Jesus' presence and feel his presence in us. However, before Jesus ascended back to his Father, he promised us: “I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20) – we can't have more of the presence of Jesus! Just because we celebrate Communion doesn't make Jesus more present with us than he is at any other time of our life. Jesus is with us always and completely. The Communion service gives us that visual and physical aid to remember Jesus' presence with us, but it is only an aid. He is always present with us and we can always receive him afresh into our lives. Not being able to take Communion doesn't diminish his presence with us – if anything it makes us remember that reality to which Communion points, and helps us not to rely on the physical aid but instead to rely on Jesus' promise: “I am with you always”.
The BCP also teaches that those who receive Communion with faith receive God's grace and heavenly blessing, but it also teaches that all the benefits of Jesus' death and resurrection (i.e. the forgiveness of our sins and new life in the Holy Spirit) we receive by faith, not by taking the bread and wine. St Paul reminds us that God “has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3). There is no more that can be gained from receiving Communion, that God has not already given us through the Holy Spirit. We have received every blessing in Christ, and we don't need bread and wine to give us more, because there is no more we can receive. He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing.
So in this time where we can't gather together, when we can't share bread and wine together, we can still give thanks for the spiritual truths that Holy Communion points us to. That Jesus is always present with us and we can receive him into our lives any time; and that Jesus has given us every spiritual blessing to get us through our life and onto eternal life with him.
Those of you on social media will have probably seen posts that say
that people want to keep socially distancing after the threat of the
virus has gone, not for health reasons but just because they don't
like talking with people! However, although some people are enjoying
not having to interact with others, a lot of people, including
introverts, are finding that they are really missing being with
people. But as I write this (and I'm aware it may all have changed
by the time you read this!), there is a growing sense that the
restrictions we face at the moment will gradually lift. The
questions then are how? and when?.
Aside from the practicalities there is another problem we have to
solve as we move towards normality: how do we stop being afraid of
each other? One of my strangest experiences at the start of this
crisis was talking to someone and thinking “this person may have
Coronavirus; they may be passing it to me; this person might be
killing me!” The precautions that we are encouraged to take also
make us cautious about other people. We stay two metres away from
people because we might infect them, but also because they might
infect us. We want trolleys and door handles to be sanitised; we
want deliveries left on doorsteps; we wear gloves to bring in the
bins, all to prevent contamination from others. COVID-19 might be
the enemy but the people around us are its agents.
It seems to me that there are two ways in which we can re-learn how
to be with other people. The first is to re-assess how we view life.
The Government mantra reminds us that we should 'save lives' but why
should we? This pandemic could have been used to aid 'social
Darwinism' – killing off those who were weakest in society, which
would have helped solve the problems of an over-stretched NHS and a
pensions crisis. The fact that this would have been unacceptable is
due to the deep Christian roots of our society: life is sacred not
simply some evolutionary accident, and life is only sacred because we
are made in the image and likeness of God himself (Genesis 1 and 2)
and because he loves us enough to die for us (1 John 4:9-10).
The
second is to re-assess how we view death. We fear COVID-19, and
therefore others, because we fear death itself. Christianity, with
the death and resurrection of Jesus at its heart, has the antidote to
this fear – death has been destroyed (1 Corinthians 15:26). This
is why in the Plague of Cyprian (249–262 AD) that, at
its height, caused upwards of 5,000 deaths a day in Rome, Christians
stayed in Rome to tend the sick. Dionysius, bishop of Alexandria,
reported that in doing so they often died 'serenely happy' unlike the
other Romans who “deserted those who began to be sick, and fled
from their dearest friends. They shunned any participation or
fellowship with death; which yet, with all their precautions, it was
not easy for them to escape.” (Eusebius 'Ecclestiastical Histories'
7.22.7–10). The Romans died in fear but the Christians died
cheerfully, knowing that “that God will bring with Jesus those who
have fallen asleep in him” (1 Thessalonians 4:14).
So as we ease ourselves out of this lockdown, let's learn again not
to fear people (because the worst they can do to us is kill us and
death is not to be feared) and to love them as God's beloved
image-bearers (and that includes you!).
When I was young there was a craze for 'Choose your own Adventure'
books, stories which offered the reader the chance to choose what the
characters did and so there were a number of alternative stories and
endings. I feel like I should write a similar article for this
month: one where the lockdown continues and one where it is lifted!
However, I'm going to assume that some sort of restrictions will be
in place when you read this, especially if it's at the beginning of
the month.
When I wrote my last article COVID-19 was just starting to become a
concern outside of China – how much has changed since then! The
restrictions we face are a real source of worry for a lot of people,
with many fearful about where they can get food from, whether they or
loved ones will survive and what their future economic prospects are
going to be. And I know already how this situation is adding further
pain to those who are grieving.
Whilst acknowledging all of that, it is also important to think about
what we're learning from this time. And the lessons often fall into
two categories: we're learning what we can live without and what we
can't. Toilet roll is one of those things a lot of people think they
can't live without, but really human interaction is one of the major
things we need. And we have been discovering many different ways of
connecting with people: alongside letters, cards and phonecalls we've
connected through the internet and putting pictures up in windows and
clapping outside at various times. However, these aren't as good as
face-to-face interactions. Some of the things we can live without (at
least for a short time) are days out, certain types of shopping and
even some jobs!! I'm sure you can think of more in each category!
And as a church we've also been learning those lessons. Worship has
continued in various ways online but we have learnt that although our
buildings are not essential they are very important, because virtual
gathering is not as good as physical gathering. And although we can
pray to God anywhere at any time – there is something special about
praying in a place where people have prayed for centuries. And
through it all we learn the most important lesson – we need God.
There
are many times in the Bible where God has taught his people to rely
on him in difficult times, the forty years in the desert and Job's
life are two examples. At the end of this month, wherever we are, we
will be celebrating Pentecost – the coming of the Holy Spirit todisciples in lockdown. Paul would write from prison “I
will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and
God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to
me will turn out for my deliverance” (Phillipians 1:19-20). And if
we ask that same Spirit is available to each of us whether or not
we're in lockdown.
Once when I was talking about the crucifixion to some Key Stage 1
children one child asked “Did that really happen?” I said yes
and then the child looked at a picture of Jesus on the cross with
blood all over his body, and said “It must have really hurt.”
That child suddenly understood the reality of what happened to Jesus
on the cross: a real human, with flesh and blood like us suffered an
agonising death. We tend to sanitise the events of Good Friday; even
though our churches are full of crosses most of them are smooth, and
a lot of them are shiny – and few of them show the dying Jesus
hanging on them. This latter point reminds us, of course, that Jesus
didn't stay dead but rose from the dead on Easter Sunday, however it
seems to me that all too often we rush past Jesus' death to get to
his resurrection.
And even when Jesus is depicted on the cross we don't see the
suffering: he is often already dead and looking peaceful; the blood
is minimal and his nakedness is covered. But does all this matter?
Crucifixion is a cruel and, literally, excruciating death but that
doesn't mean we need to show it in all its harrowing reality. But
what we do need to do is to remember that it was an horrific event,
not just to witness but for Jesus himself. Because if we don't
comprehend the appalling nature of Jesus' death, if we think of it as
just something Jesus did as easily as eating and sleeping, then we might
never ask the question 'why?'
“Why did Jesus willingly and intentionally go through such an
agonising death?” is perhaps one of the most important questions we
can ever ask. In the face of it a lot of our misconceptions about
Jesus are shattered. If he was just a wise teacher, his death
stopped him being able to teach more people in more places. If he
was a revolutionary, he gave up without a fight. He didn't die to
take someone's place in a hostage type situation, nor as a martyr for
a philosophical, moral or religious principle. Humanly-speaking
Jesus' death was pointless and unnecessary.
So
why did Jesus willingly and intentionally go through
such an agonising death? It can only be because it achieved his
mission. Jesus said that he came “to seek and to save the lost”
(Luke 19:10 - 'the lost' being sinners [Luke 15]), and that he would
“give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). 700 years
beforehand, Isaiah had written about Jesus' death: “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). No wonder we
want to ignore the reality of the crucifixion – the agony Jesus
suffered is a result of our sin, but amazingly it is also our
salvation.
Image: Theyre Lee-Elliott "Crucified tree form - the agony".
Sitting in a hospital A&E waiting room is a great chance to think
- that is, as long as you're not in agony! All sorts of people come
and go; you see the doctors, nurses and other staff beavering away;
and you catch snippets of why people have ended up there, then try to
fill in the gaps.
In one way the A&E department is a great leveller. Young and
old, rich and poor, clumsy and careful - anyone can find themselves
there, often through no fault of their own. And you get prioritised
for treatment there on the basis of how urgent your need is, not on
how clever or pretty or popular you are. But this fact is also what
makes A&E waiting rooms sometimes very frustrating places to be
and ones that induce many negative feelings, alongside the physical
pain.
We all understand that the order you will be seen in depends on the
merits, or demerits, of your problem. But the longer you have to
wait there, the more you start trying to second-guess what people's
needs are. As you look around the waiting room you rank the people
there according to your perception of their condition and other
factors such as age, and place yourself mentally in that list too.
Then when people you think are less of a priority than you get called
to triage or for treatment ahead of you, feelings of disappointment
and puzzlement start to well up inside you. The longer this goes on
and the more this happens, those feelings of disappointment turn into
frustration and anger. So when you came in you were quite willing to
accept that those with more serious problems would be seen first but
now every time someone else gets called, you have to fight the urge
to stand up and shout “What about me? I'm more deserving than they
are!!” A system that's designed to be fair ends up arousing
feelings of anger and envy.
Lent is an opportunity for us to face up to our faults and failings.
Although we will often say that “nobody's perfect” (or as the
Bible puts it “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”
[Romans 3:23]), we also like to rank ourselves in comparison with
others and our perception of their sins. With this mindset the
gospel of Jesus becomes very offensive. We are like the prodigal
son's older brother who complains that his father forgives the
rebellious son (Luke 15:11-32); or like the workers who work all day
in the vineyard and complain that those who have only worked for one
hour get the same pay (Matthew 20:1-16). We like the idea of
forgiveness, but only when it is offered to those we think deserve
it! This was the reason Jonah ran away: he didn't want God to
forgive the evil Ninevehites (Jonah 4:1-2)! Whenever we feel like
that, we've forgotten that God doesn't need a triage unit: all of us
have the same condition – sin; all of us have the same prognosis –
death sentence; and all of us need the same remedy – forgiveness
through the Divine Physician, who was crushed for our sins and by
whose wounds we are healed. (Isaiah 53:4-6).
So this Lent, let us admit to our own failings, including our
feelings of superiority and good-enough-ness; ask God for
forgiveness; and find in him healing and new life.
