Link to Video service for Lent 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vg9iM3Dv_Z8

Link to the reflection for the Diocese:

Genesis 9:8-17, Mark 1:9-15

In the name of the living God, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, Amen

The account in Mark’s gospel of Jesus’ forty days in the wilderness is very brief. Jesus walks on his own 2 feet into the wilderness under his own steam (the gospel acknowledges he was  driven by the Spirit), where Jesus then remained for 40 days to prepare for what was coming next. We get references to tempting by Satan, being with the wild animals and the angels waiting on him – but in Mark that is it! What Jesus did was take time out, time to make the transition from the every day life he had had up to this point, to being ready to share his important message with others. The foot steps he would have to take and the foot steps only he could take in his time on this earth. He was isolated with his thoughts and concerns in an inhospitable place

Yet from that reading we can also see that he came from it – ready to proclaim the good news of God. In  a way this tunes in with some of the ideas from the #LiveLent material. I do hope you are engaging with this. If we haven’t started yet, I think it would be entirely possible to catch up the first few days and the links to the app, or emails are in the newsletter. We can also hear each reflection on the Church of England daily hope line on the telephone, if we need to access it that way.

This material is looking at the challenge for us in sharing the Good news too (and becoming more like Jesus in ALL of our lives). It begins linking our stories to God story.

• First our individual stories,

• And then the stories in which we are a player (our relationship stories with friends, communities, churches, countries etc)

Linked deeply to God’s story of loving  and creative engagement with the world, and particularly the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus, so much the focus of travel for us in Church for the next months. The reflections major on story and witness. For each of us we need to be like Jesus and that means pointing to God’s amazing love for us and sharing his good news. This is not an optional extra in the Christian walk – it is the very first thing Jesus said the disciples had to do in his great commission – Go and make disciples of all nations! (Matt 28:19)

I am hoping we can be inspired by looking closely at how Jesus and other key figures in the early church went about it!  And Lent is a good time for us to take time out to refresh our thinking and our doing! In our pandemic times, sharing our hope, our meaning and our purpose rooted in God’s amazing love for us could not be more important.

In the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Lent book – Living His Story – Revealing the extraordinary love of God in ordinary ways by Hannah Steele, (which underpins our #LiveLent material) – Hannah defines the e-word evangelism (our need to share the good news) using some words of my favourite Old Testament theologian Walter Brueggemann. He says evangelism is an ‘Invitation and summons to ‘switch stories’ and therefore change lives’

In essence this means putting Jesus’ story at the centre of our lives. Thus helping us make sense of our lives and giving us meaning and purpose, and above all hope. Then it is only natural to want to pass this hope-bringing life changing stuff on to others…

In the #Livelent material to get us started, the first few reflections think about feet! – A surprising place to start perhaps

In Isaiah there is a wonderful quote – about ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news’. This shows how this brings us into God’s purpose for us. The material suggests we reflect on how we came to discover the good news of Jesus for ourselves – It may well be some people with beautiful feet helped us!

Just to share a snippet of my story (and here is a picture of my feet at the end of my long sabbatical walk in 2018!) – The 15/16 year old me had not had a lot of exposure to people of faith. When I first started to engage with Church – (In case you were expecting rather higher ideals, I was not there because I was interested in religion at all, but so I could be part of the Church Youth Group and widen my circle of friends etc…. (as all hormonal teenagers  are want to do!)). After several months I realised these people in the Church family had something about them that I had just not experienced before. They had integrity and compassion, which was impressive, genuine and deep! (Was this (in fact) their beautiful feet?). And I gradually (and also eventually in a more public way and decisive way) began to experience this myself. I have walked the Christian walk ever since!

Each of our journeys to faith will be different. How our faith has shaped us will be different. But we too can and must be people with beautiful feet – sharing the good news…. and doing it as we are uniquely designed by God to do.

The #LiveLent reflections remind us of Mary’s encounter with the risen Jesus in the garden in John’s gospel, but my mind turned to the resurrection account in Matthew’s gospel. In this version after an angel encounter at the tomb, the women, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, meet Jesus. They are then described as literally taking hold of his feet, and worshipping him. This shows in a deep way how important and special they knew their realisation of Jesus’ resurrection was – Of the love that conquers death for us.

The final 2 reflections for this week in the #LiveLent material, look at how Jesus drew people to himself which always contained the need to share his story with others. Fishing brothers becoming fishers of people in one. In the other Philip who had met Jesus, sharing his enthusiasm with Nathanael (who we thought about a few weeks ago), and Nathanael on encountering Jesus realising Jesus was the real deal so to speak!

As we journey through Lent I want us to ponder with Hannah Steele that we need a ‘better way to talk about evangelism’ that is our sharing of the good news with others. She goes on about the better way to talk about evangelism – A more beautiful one! We need to reimagine evangelism as something that isn’t onerous and irrelevant, but imaginative and exciting. We need to recapture something of the beauty of evangelism that has got lost in the fear and the awkwardness. Every time we share the good news of Jesus with someone in word or deed we have beautiful feet.

Let’s walk this walk in Lent 2021 as refreshment for our beautiful feet inspiring our sharing of the good news. I dare us if someone asks us about what we are doing for Lent in 2021 to say – I am working on the beauty of my feet – and then to explain what you mean!  Amen

REFERENCES

New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicised Edition, copyright © 1989, 1995

#LiveLent God’s Story, Our Story – Stephen Hance (Church House Publishing)

Living His Story – Hannah Steele (SPCK)

Link to Service Video:    https://youtu.be/_99Iby437oA
Joel 2: 1-2, 12-17, John 8:1-11

In the name of God, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Amen

In our encounters with the living God, we occasionally have opportunities to explore the deep, dark and often hidden places of our hearts. The not so good bits, the things we do wrong and the things we hide shamefully from others. Ash Wednesday affords us just such an opportunity, to reflect and take stock, in a way few other seasons and celebrations of our Church year reach. For on this day, we take more time to look at our lives through God’s eyes and to own up to these deep, dark secrets of our hearts.

The Ash Wednesday collect would have us exploring these depths by creating and making new and contrite hearts in ourselves.  Where contrite (which is not a word I would use every day) means feeling sorrow for what we have done. It goes on to have us – Lamenting our sins (forcibly and strongly regretting the things we know to be wrong). And if that were not enough to go on to acknowledging our wretchedness – Being honest and open about where we have fallen short. But to do all of this in the assurance that the God of all mercy will forgive us. That means taking on board our forgiveness from God for what we have done wrong, and moving on afresh and renewed. With new heart (and having forgiven ourselves too – rather than to continue to carry this stuff along with us expressing it in emotions like guilt and heavy heartedness for our wrongdoings!)

In our gospel, we had an example of Jesus reaching the deep, dark places of the heart. As he listened to the pharisees and the woman caught in adultery. He listened to God in his own heart and found a deep wisdom that transformed those it touched. It spoke so vividly of God’s forgiveness.

Let’s just recap the story concentrating on the forgiveness it offers. One day, the scribes & the pharisees came to Jesus dragging a woman, who they claimed had been caught in the act of adultery. They reminded him forcibly that the law of Moses said to stone such women. It is clear from what the gospel says, that they were doing this to trap Jesus and so some charge might be brought against him. The trap in this was that on the one hand, if Jesus condemned the woman, his reputation love, compassion and mercy would be shot. He would be at odds with the Roman authorities because it was not allowed for non-Romans to order or carry out the death penalty. But also, on the other hand, if Jesus pardoned the woman he would be encouraging a lax approach to the law of Moses, and even condoning or encouraging people to commit adultery. Pharisees and scribes would be able to have a field day with that too!

Thankfully their trap didn’t work in the way the Pharisees had wanted. Instead of choosing the two options the Pharisees had in mind, Jesus did something else. He knelt down and wrote on the ground. Seems a strange thing to do and what did he write.

I read an interpretation of this passage in a book by Michael Mitton, and he suggested this that the word used for write here is really the word for “write down a record against”. Therefore what Jesus was doing was writing down the sins of the men who had brought the woman to Jesus. So he might have looked one man in the eye and written theft and another and written hurting your wife. And so on – so each man present was shown a statement of the deep secrets of their hearts their own personal sins. Imagine how powerful that experience would have been. Jesus looking into your eyes and then writing the deepest, darkest, secret of your heart in the sand for all to see. Combine that with Jesus saying pointedly – Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her. No wonder, if this is what happened, that one by one the men walked away…

Jesus also got to the darkest depths of the heart with the woman too. He probably saw a wounded and unhappy life, someone longing to be loved and who had been badly treated. Even by these particular men who had used her to trap Jesus. After all probably this story, should not be known as ‘the woman caught in adultery’ but the men caught in hypocrisy!

To help this woman to understand God’s forgiveness and mercy, Jesus is clear with her that no-one condemns her. None of them who brought her to him nor Jesus himself. But Jesus does make it clear, what he expects from her in the future. Go on your way, and from now on do not sin again. From the heart of God’s forgiveness for her, Jesus gives the woman a fresh start, another chance. The way Jesus treated her will have inspired her to live differently. Wisdom and love have come together in this event, and brought healing and renewal for her. And even the Pharisees and scribes if they had stopped, reflected and seen what was really going on here, they too would have the chance for the renewal and healing on offer here.

As that healing, renewal and transformation was available to all on that day it is just as available to us all today. For today it is a bit like this, Jesus is looking into our hearts, as he did with the scribes, pharisees and the woman. If he looked into our eyes – What would he write in the sand about us? Whatever it might be, whatever the darkest secrets of our hearts are – Let’s bring them to God in our prayers of penitence today, and then take on board the renewal and healing God’s forgiveness brings and let the Holy spirit transform us deep within.

It is important for us to let go of these things, assured that our God of compassion and mercy has forgiven us and then to move on with renewed heart into Lent, where we can concentrate on growing closer to the God that loved us so much. Amen

New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicised Edition, copyright © 1989, 1995

Copyright acknowledgement Some material included in this service is copyright: ©  The Archbishops’ Council 2000-2020

Collect (Ash Wednesday) ©  The Crown/Cambridge University Press: The Book of Common Prayer (1662)

Video links: Service Video for the Sunday before Lent:  https://youtu.be/w8FKOIR87nY

Bishop Rob Martin’s reflection: https://youtu.be/nfV4-ojnZ0Q

2 Corinthians 4:3-6, Mark 9:2-9

In the name of God, source of all being, eternal Word and Holy Spirit Amen

So here we are – on the verge of Lent once again. As tradition has it we have the story of Jesus’ moment of transfiguration. Transfiguration is not an every day word – and is a special kind of transformation on a grander scale. It literally means – A change that displays God’s glory in Jesus, in God’s son. The word transfigured is describing this glory radiating not just from around Jesus but from within Him – as part of who he was, giving us a tangible deep sense of who Jesus was.

I want us to pause for a moment and shake off our preconceptions about this and imagine we are in the shoes of Peter and James and John. When the stories of Jesus get too familiar, we can tend to lose sight of the wonder and mystery. In these moments much was revealed to them – of Jesus being God’s son.

The purity of the dazzling white appearance points to this as does the reality of the two great forefathers of faith Elijah and Moses along side Jesus. They bring great credibility and integrity to this moment. I don’t know what Peter thought he was witnessing – but in the face of such wonder – he is babbling. (Any of us who in the face of crisis or greatness tend towards babbling – knows why he is doing this!) After all Peter was a simple fisherman, he must have been amazed, and the passage says even though he found something to say (really he did not know what to say!)

If all of that wasn’t dramatic enough – we then have a voice from an overshadowing cloud – adding to the scene and stating the reality playing out in front of Peter and James and John. The voice says This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him! Confirmation of the importance of the moment is there in the voice of God. We have echoes in our mind of the voice from the heavens at Jesus’ baptism, which started with the same 2 phrases, This is my Son, the beloved. Peter and James and John would not have been there for the baptism, and only have heard about it – but now they are seeing and hearing for themselves. And then just as quickly as it had started, it was done. Suddenly, there was just Jesus and this moment of wonder, awe, and mystery that is the transfiguration had passed.

We have this moment year by year as a herald to Lent, as it is a significant turning point. In Mark’s gospel, up to the end of Chapter 8 the story is pretty action packed with healings, miracles, teaching and parables. Shooting from the hip one after an another, but from then onwards including the gospel we heard to today there is a change of tack and focus. Coming next on from this, is some action described as happening over 6 days, as the disciples are coming to terms with who Jesus is and what is going to happen to him. First in this six day period, Peter declares Jesus is the Messiah. And even as soon as them coming down the mountain Jesus starts to open the disciples’ eyes to teach them about how he will suffer and die and rise again. He even ordered the disciples with him to tell no one about what they had seen.

In our terms today, for Jesus the transfiguration was a very very significant ‘reveal’ moment witnessed by 3 of his closest disciples. A real turning point  – A turning point is an event marking a unique or important historical change of course. Or a turning point is one on which important developments depend. Something that changes our direction and focus. Most of us will have ones we could refer to in our lives, and events which have changed the order of things entirely and forever.

Sometimes a turning point – literally turns our life in another direction –  and we turn from the path we have been on to one going in another direction. Sometimes a turning point brings clarity and feels like we have turned a full 360 degrees and though we are still looking at the same things we see them in a new informed light – whatever the circumstances of the turning point has brought. For many of us a significant turning point may have been taking on board the Christian faith in the first place – certainly that is the case for me. Or for others significant turning points have come when we first met a future partner or had the first child or of course when someone close to us dies.

I think all this Covid stuff has been something of a turning point – en masse for all of us. This time last year we were still gambling along normally, though the news from across the world was beginning to get increasingly alarming. Turning points bring us to new places but are not comfortable or cosy! Turning points are times of challenge, revelation and change.

In our Church calendar we are rapidly approaching a significant turning point too – as we turn towards preparing for Easter and the season of Lent. Lent starts solemnly on Ash Wednesday and marks the beginning of our journey to the cross and resurrection of Christ. This is a time to take on board some challenge, revelation and change in our lives to mark this turning point. This Lent as there always are, there are lots of options on how to have a holy Lent. The most important thing is whatever we do needs to bring us closer to God.

For some this may be ‘giving something up’ for Lent – I have to say I am not particularly recommending this approach for 2021.  Though you can disagree with me about this I think things are tough enough in our lockdown as it is.

I am much more in favour of ‘taking something up’ for Lent – at the beginning of this service I talked about a number of things we could take up:-

• Greater depth in our daily prayers – characterised by daily praying with our cross prayer stones (available from both churches see the newsletter as to where you can collect one from).

• Greater depth in our daily bible reading – characterised by engaging with the #livelent reflections from the Church of England, via the booklet, daily emails, or app.

• Greater depth in our worship – characterised by engaging with our weekly Night Prayer on Zoom (you can also connect to this on the phone – get in touch if you want to do that).

• Greater depth in our fellowship and learning together by joining the Churches Together Lent course looking at the beatitudes on Zoom – called Happy and Blessed.

• Another suggestion might be tackling some of the things that show greater love for God’s beautiful world, reducing our carbon footprint, our use of plastic, switching to planet friendly cleaning products, recycling more and so on…

Make sure whatever you do is something that is sufficiently challenging (but not too much deprivation in our times of isolation from one another) to bring about a turning point that brings you closer to God. All this allows the power of the Holy Spirit that is with us in everything to make us more Christlike. We need this to be something transformational for us (something that will change us through God is working in us and through us). And dare I say we need this to be something “transfigurational” for us – which displays God’s glory in Jesus, in God’s son

We are looking this Lent to approach it in the knowledge and hope of Jesus’ transfiguration. Jesus transfiguration was working from the inside and brought a tangible deep sense of who Jesus was and everything he has done for us. This Lent let’s get beyond surrounding ourselves with God’s love from the outside – even though that is always good. Let’s get down and really deep, and allow time for God’s love to well up from within ourselves – so we are truly instruments of that love. So that God’s love dwells in us and overflows from us in all that we are as God’s love dwelt in Jesus and overflowed in him on the mountain during the transfiguration.

Let us pray

Almighty God, we ask you to show us something more of who you are and how awesome your presence is. Overcome our fear of the unknown, and lead us into a new experience of you. Amen

The New Revised Standard Version (Anglicized Edition), copyright 1989, 1995

https://www.rootsontheweb.com/lectionary/2021/111-january-february-2021-b/transfiguration/ a gathering prayer

https://www.wordwebonline.com/search.pl?w=turning+point

Colossians 1:15-20, John 1:1-14

Links to Online Service: – https://youtu.be/IKoBPI1WmUs

Links to Bishop Ruth’s reflection:- https://youtu.be/S9bpblFkd5E

In the name of God, source of all being, eternal Word and Holy Spirit Amen

We got 2 real corkers of Bible readings set for today. One of my favourite bits of St Paul’s writings which starts with Christ as the image of the invisible God. Paul being his most mystical, but also trying to put into words for people who Jesus was. No doubt at some point I will wax lyrical on this passage but not today, because the other passage was the unforgettable beginning to John’s gospel.

In the beginning was the word – really grabbed my attention. For us this passage is really associated with Christmas, but once every 3 years it pops up in this time between the end of Epiphany and the start of Lent. Not having to wrap up what I say about it into a message for Christmas means, in this instance, I can talk about the strength and the wonder of the description of Jesus as the Word. I am going to start off with 3 different illustrations of how reliant we are on words and what words bring to us, and then looking at how Jesus as the Word makes sense and what a powerful illustration this is. So first let’s think about how reliant we are on words and what words bring to us.

Firstly, if I were to attempt to preach this sermon without using the spoken or written word, we would be in for a very long video or piece of writing. If I were doing it in person – we might end up having to play something like a very long and painful game of charades – where I acted out the various things I wanted to convey. Clearly this would take ages, be ineffective as it would be subject to significant and inevitable misinterpretation!!!

Secondly – when thinking about the importance of words and what words bring to us. When I was 11, I went on holiday to Tenerife with my family. I took Alfred here with me. Now none of my family speak Spanish (I am actually a very poor linguist in fact!) with some schoolgirl French and some holiday Italian. Anyway, Alfred got swept up in the laundry when the bedding was changed. He is only a small bear after all. I searched high and low for him for a couple of days and in the end we worked out what must have happened. But that was when the problems really started. We realised we needed to speak to the chambermaid to find out if Alfred had been found in the laundry.  In the end because we didn’t have the words to say to her and be understood, I drew a picture of Alfred and we did our best signs and symbols with the chambermaid to be understood. This included speaking slowly in English (which was very silly as she did not understand a word!). Thankfully after about 10 minutes of this rather strange way of communicating with one another, she went into the laundry store and Alfred was liberated!!! And the lost bear was found.

On another occasion in my time as an IT professional, I went on a business trip to Holland. When I arrived at the Hotel where I was staying one of my hosts had left an envelope in reception. I took the envelope upstairs with me to my room. After a comfort break, I turned my attention to the envelope. I rapidly headed back downstairs as I couldn’t read it. As the instructions for when I would be picked up for dinner and all the other information in the letter were written in Dutch. And I needed a translater! It is very difficult when we cannot share words with each other that are the basis of communication. In both these instances it took a long time to really understand each other and we needed help from a picture or an interpreter to guide the communication.

The third way into these thoughts about how reliant we are on words and what words bring to us is pretty challenging. A while back now I did a placement with a chaplain at a Specialist school and further education college for severely disabled children and young people. It was a terrific but extremely challenging experience. Not only did one third of the young people have conditions that meant their lives would be limited, another third were unable to speak. They used a variety of ways of making themselves understood again of course all based on words. Some used electronic devices after significant effort the device spoke the sentences they wanted to say. It meant conversation was very slow. Lots of very long pauses. I struggled to tune in to the electronic voices. It was difficult as the voice didn’t match the person often (and they often were very American). I had to be really careful not to feel I needed to fill the spaces in the conversation or ask the young person multiple questions in the time it took to construct each sentence they wanted to say to fill the very long pauses.

 Another alternative, even more difficult than the talking devices was the use of books full of symbols to convey what someone wanted to say. This method was used when the youngster did not have the dexterity to operate the talking machines. There was a painstaking process of helping the young person to find the symbols for the words in their books to string a sentence together. Frustrating – and really difficult to be understood. Young people often had to be encouraged to keep trying to communicate – it was easier to give up and live shut off from those around them. When I was with the chaplain, one of the teenagers who could only communicate with one of these books came to talk to him. I have rarely been so aware that someone was very upset and distressed about something, but also that we completely failed to work out from trying to use the communication book what was upsetting him. In those circumstances there were real questions about life and death for these young people and what life is all about? And all we were was really lost for words and unable to get to grips with his problems. I have rarely felt so powerless and so distressed over someone who wanted to be heard and understood and just wasn’t. We can tell a lot from how someone is physically, but unless we can share meaning through words, it can be very difficult to get a sense of what is really going on. We can’t really get a full understanding. There are other circumstances – strokes and so forth that leave people locked in themselves like this too. Just very, very difficult.

After those 3 illustrations – we can see that our words are immensely powerful. They bring meaning and understanding. Sharing that meaning and understanding is as John’s gospel puts it – the life that is the light of all people. By saying Jesus is the Word – it is saying that Jesus is at the heart of all meaning and understanding and the essence of our communication with one another and our lives. This is such a very very powerful statement indeed. For me one of the critical points of understanding in the Christian faith is the recognition of Jesus occupying the central part of our life. The recognition that when we share with those around us and gain meaning, understanding and love from those we communicate with. All of that is a demonstration or reflection of God’s love for us. This is in all our experiences of human communication, care and love.

In all our interactions God is really present with us. The God who was with the word Jesus from the beginning and the God we know, also breathes and dwells with us through the power of the Holy Spirit Jesus left with us. This passage brings together the aspects of the Trinity. The word (Jesus) was with God and the word Jesus gave power us to become children of God – which is a reference to the Holy Spirit.  Jesus as word gives meaning and purpose to life, is also the light that shines in darkness. And the darkness cannot and will not ever overcome that. This is something we need to be extremely thankful for. There is also the sense that we have that God is with us in the good times and the bad, and there is nothing no matter how bleak or painful that can separate us from God’s love for us. And you don’t need me to tell you that it is rough going at the moment. Yet there is nothing that God cannot love us through and gently guide us through and bring meaning and purpose to and the strength we need for the journey. God will be with us forever loving us in this world and the next. That love is something that no darkness can take away. Our experiences today of all this are just a foretaste of the intimacy and joy that dwelling in and with God for eternity will be like.

To finish, I began this sermon with the words – In the name of God, source of all being, eternal Word and Holy Spirit. This brings to the fore Jesus as the Word – The Word as all our experiences of love, meaning and understanding. The Word for yesterday, the word for today and the word for all our tomorrows in this world and the next. Thank you God for Jesus our eternal word, our meaning and our light. Amen

The New Revised Standard Version (Anglicized Edition), copyright 1989, 1995

Links to the video service: https://youtu.be/MFI7ulntNto

Links to Bishop Trevor Willmott’s reflection https://youtu.be/QWBJjFJLTP0

Revelation 5: 1-5a, Luke 2: 22-40

Candlemas is an occasion when we have often come together for worship. Frequently we are at Pen for this service and I love to see that church filled with candles. Have never understood why Candlemas falls on the celebration of the presentation of Christ until this year – I always assumed it was a case of the church making use of a date that was already in folk use, probably linked to the gradual returning of the light. There is a degree of truth in this, as the day falls halfway between the winter solstice and the spring equinox, and has long been a celebration of the returning daylight. We probably all know too that Candlemas has a weather association rather like St Swithin’s day that tells us roughly that the finer the weather on Candlemas, the more winter there is to come and conversely bad weather on that day indicates that the winter weather is largely over. Keep a look out on Tuesday!

Preaching is good for me though, as I have learned this year that Candlemas is the 40th day of, and therefore the end of the Christmas season. Apparently, it is also the correct day to take down any Christmas decorations that did not get taken down in time for twelfth night. In telling us this part of the story, Luke is reminding us of the piety of Joseph and Mary, and of their financial standing. As well as a sacrifice of thanks for the child and a safe delivery, it was customary to pay a small sum of money to the priest, to redeem or ‘buy back’ the child from God. It is a good reminder to all of us that our children are entrusted to us by God and are never really ours.

Light is a theme throughout Epiphany, which starts with the star which led the magi to Jesus, and when we celebrate the first sharing of the Saviour with gentiles as well as Jews and ends with Candlemas when traditionally the candles to be used in worship for the year would be brought into church to be blessed. This link with light however is taken from the wonderful words of praise and prophecy spoken by Simeon when he recognised the Christ child – ‘to be a light to lighten the gentiles, and to be the glory of thy people Israel’.

Simeon also foretells that Christ’s life and ministry will not be easy, that he will show things that people would rather have kept secret, will meet with opposition and that his chosen path will cause grief to his family – and this last seems to be directed chiefly to Mary. This prophecy makes more sense to us who know what happened during Jesus life on earth and the manner of his death. The opposition to his life and ministry are also told in highly figurative language in our first reading, when John’s vision shows him the struggle between the powers of evil and good, and how the coming of Christ to the nation of Israel was opposed, but that this did not succeed.

We seem to know quite a lot about Simeon, but less about Anna. What we do know, if we disregard the information about her husband and her great age – in itself exceptional for the times, makes her an exceptional person. She is described as a prophet – one of very few women given that honour. She is sometimes described as the last of the Old Testament prophets and the first of the New Testament missionaries. Her long life has been spent in prayer and worship and she spends much time in the temple so in a way it is less surprising that she is there on that day than Simeon, although both were guided by the Holy Spirit. As soon as she saw the Christ child, she too was moved to praise as Mary had been at the annunciation, as the infant John the Baptist and his mother had been and as the shepherds were returning to the fields. Like the shepherds, Anna too told the news to the people she met. It would seem that people of prayer are also people of insight and at times of great joy.

I wonder if you, like me are finding this continued lockdown with so little happening a very difficult time to pray? In staying at home, we no longer meet up with people in the street, and exchange news, and the

news brought to us by the media seems to contain issues that are altogether too big for the scope of the prayers of someone like me. This is the weekend of the Big Garden bird watch – I wonder if many of you take part in this? If your experience is anything like mine, the hour you chose to watch will be the one when all the birds in Somerset chose to be somewhere else! I mention the bird watch, as I find comfort for my prayers which seem so inadequate in the words of Ann Lewin and her poem ‘Disclosure’ which can be found in her book ‘Watching for the Kingfisher’.

‘Bird watching has taught me that all is gift. I may go out hoping to see a particular bird – but it may not be in evidence. I can’t control the movement of the birds. And if I am too intent on seeing one particular bird, I may miss a lot of other things that are around. Prayer is like that:’

Disclosure

Prayer is like watching for the Kingfisher.

All you can do is

Be where he is likely to appear, and

Wait.

Often, nothing much happens;

There is space, silence and

Expectancy.

No visible sign, only the

Knowledge that he’s been there,

And may come again.

Seeing or not seeing cease to matter,

You have been prepared.

But sometimes, when you’ve almost

Stopped expecting it,

A flash of brightness

Gives encouragement.

Waiting for the Kingfisher, Copyright: Ann Lewin

Publisher: Canterbury Press Norwich. 30/11/2009

Epiphany 3 – Rev Alison Way – Revelation 19:6-10, John 2:1-11

In the name of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Amen

Several years ago I paid a visit to Whipsnade tree cathedral. This is a National Trust garden near Dunstable covering over 9 acres. Here is the link so you can get a feel for it: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/whipsnade-tree-cathedral. This was of course in the days when we could travel freely!  It is planted mainly with trees in the approximate form of a cathedral, with grass avenues for the nave, chancel, transepts, chapels, towers and cloisters and “walls” of different species of trees. It is an intriguing and very peace-filled place accompanied by some natural sounds that I really like, the wind in the leaves of the trees and the cooing of wood pigeons. (It was summer when I visited!)

As I was wandering around the tree cathedral with some friends, I was left with lots of questions. Lovely as it was, I had lots of questions about why it existed and why it had been constructed? What motivates you to plant a tree cathedral? Especially when working with trees – the individuals concerned are unlikely to see their labours come to full fruition.

It turns out the tree cathedral was a vision of  a chap named Ernest Blyth and a vision with a deeply spiritual root to it. It was as an act of “Faith, hope and reconciliation” in response initially to his memories of World War I. As a cadet at Sandhurst in 1916 Blyth had made two close friends called Arthur Bailey and John Bennett who were both dead within eighteen months. In 1930 Ernest paid a visit to Liverpool Cathedral with his wife, which was then under construction. Blyth wrote “As we drove south through the Cotswold hills on our way home… I saw the evening sun light up a coppice of trees on the side of a hill. It occurred to me then that here was something more beautiful still. And the idea formed of building a cathedral with trees. Work began in 1932 and continued in stages. The site became overgrown during the second world war, but development recommenced when it finished. Though this cathedral is not consecrated, the first religious service at the site was held in 1953, and services continue annually to this day usually on an ecumenical basis. In 1960 the Tree Cathedral was accepted as a gift by the National Trust.

Ernest did get to realise his vision of a tree cathedral, but not without setbacks and difficulties. We have to wonder what people would have made of his idea back then and his persistence rescuing his labours after 7 years away in the second world war. But he would never have seen it in its maturing glory that I saw with trees in full stature. Then there was the tangible sense of peace, and signs of hope and new life with new trees being planted to ensure his vision lives on!

Our first bible reading today also tunes into this kind of visionary stuff. Revelation was a vision written down for  a people experiencing all kinds of difficulties and in a way deliberately masking things (so the people in the know could understand but if it fell into the hands of the authorities the messages within it would be difficult to understand).

All of this 2000 years or so on doesn’t make it easy for us to understand. Today’s reading is all about the sound and what the voices have to say to us. It starts with a voice from the great multitude, which is accompanied by mighty thunderpeals and very loud noises. These kind of noises are often with the voice of God or are the sounds that the people heard, when someone else is hearing the voice of God.

The voice says: Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory. Frankly this is not a statement to say quietly especially in a large crowd. Let us say that statement loudly together (forgetting for a moment traditional British reserve)

After me Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory.

And louder! Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory.

This is a 1^st century understanding of the victory statement. Salvation and glory and power to our God. This would have been seen in the light of common statements made about their leaders at the time, which had a similar ring – victory and glory and power to our Caesar! This version shows that the true victory belongs to God and not in the Roman emperor! And this is the message the voice of a great multitude cries out in defiance and over and above human voices supporting Caesar! It also shows that our natural response to knowing that the Lord our God the almighty reigns is one of worship for fervent and unceasing praise of God, wrapped up in rejoicing, exulting and giving glory for God’s saving love for us.

Then the voice continues with a metaphor – Christ as the bridegroom and the people of God as the bride. This notion was quite widespread in early Christianity. Sometimes we think of the Church as the bride of Christ and use an appropriate understanding of good lasting marriage relationships as a model for the self-sacrificing love Christ had for the Church. Here the important part of this – is that his bride has made herself ready. This is about being the people of God ready and willing to partake in loving relationship with God. Readiness is a concept we more readily associate with Advent than the Sundays of Epiphany, but being alert and ready is important in our response to God.

The next statement of this voice takes us on a level to her (the people of God) it has been granted to be clothed with fine linen, bright and pure. This is a reference to 1^st century marriage customs. Fine linen was a luxury item in the ancient world. It was more commonly in these times fine linen in purple and scarlet. There is an intentional contrast here between the “fine linen” bright and pure. Some translations use the word shining rather than bright and this has illusions to the transfiguration where Jesus was shining brilliant white.

The voice goes on to say for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. Here the fine linen is being used to represent the righteous deeds of the people of God. Thinking about righteousness, which is really the essence when our lives shine with God’s love for us, and we follow his plan for us. (rather than substituting it with something rather duller and less shiny of our own). Righteousness itself is attractive and brings out the best in us and is not to be confused with self-righteousness, which is a deeply unattractive side of human nature.

So having got there we move to a second voice, this is the voice of the angel, speaking directly to the writer of Revelation. The angel says “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” What the angel says is echoing the beatitudes (blessed are statements of Jesus) in Revelation. It asks us to think about our invitation to the marriage supper of the lamb. This is rather difficult. Some kind of illusion to the acts of Jesus at the last supper, in the supper bit clearly. Though the last supper was a one-off our remembrance of it week by week when we can share communion is not! There is also importance in that we are all invited through what Jesus did, and it is worth noting it does NOT say blessed are those who came to the marriage supper but those who are invited. Those things are different. There is also an element here about being in a committed relationship with God through marriage too.

The point about readiness and alertness of our faith has already been made and there is also clearly a celebratory element to this. Parties at weddings were well known in Jesus day (and described in our gospel reading today) and a once only element to that (only one marriage supper for any marriage). Another thought I had was this was some kind of illusion of the end times and Jesus coming again in the presence and not yetness of our relationship with God. We only see things partially and this may be a reference to dwelling in the presence of God more fully; either when we die and enter his presence or when the end times come and Jesus returns however that may work.

Whatever this phrase Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the lamb means entirely, the angel finishes his words with a command. We understand it as a faithful and true message from the final statement the angel says These are the true words of God. So in there is something we definitely need to get.

A reflection I read from new daylight on this passage said In the kingdom the rich will not be proud of their lavish attire nor will the poor be ashamed of their garb. All will be wearing robes provided by the king for the wedding of the lamb has come and the bride has made herself ready. And to finish off – the angel makes sure we understand the angel is not to be worshipped but God.

So in our journey through the vision of Ernest Blyth and this vision from Revelation with the voice sounding like a great multitude and the voice of the angel – They are all exalting us to praise God, to declare his victory in and through our lives. To live righteously ready to follow God’s path for us and to live acknowledging our blessedness as those invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb. Praise on, think on and pray on with this.  Amen

References: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/whipsnade-tree-cathedral/features/edmund-blyth—visions-of-a-cathedral, BRF New Daylight and The New Revised Standard Version (Anglicized Edition), copyright 1989, 1995

Epiphany 2 Year B – Rev Alison Way

Link to the video service for Epiphany 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DGDbbRYDfg

Link to the Church of England online service for Epiphany 2 https://youtu.be/jGP9gtLV9V4

 Revelation 5:1-10, John 1:43-end

In the name of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Amen

In times like this it is interesting that today we have 2 readings recognising Jesus as the son of God and his mission to save us. The easier of the two is the story in John’s gospel. We have Philip encountering Jesus, and following him. He shares this news with Nathanael – who is characteristically pessimistic about it – Can anything good come out of Nazareth? he says.

Philip doesn’t enter into a conversation about it or try to persuade Nathanael. He just gets him to come and see for himself. There is a stark change of mind when Nathanael is presented to Jesus (what we today would call a U turn!). And in a very short exchange of words, Nathanael recognises and exclaims who Jesus is. It was a very big deal for a true Israelite – a devout jew like Nathanael to say ‘You are the son of God’, ‘You are the King of Israel’

We must not doubt that at this point something radical had occurred in Nathanael’s heart. It is a world away from his previous remarks. He has not seen Jesus do anything particularly spectacular. All Jesus has done is recognise him as a devout Jew…  We can only ponder on what Nathanael saw in this encounter with Jesus and how he felt, but this is a huge change of perspective. As I was talking about last week, a real epiphany moment and also one where his life was going to change forever as a result of this declaration.

This recognition of things that are way beyond ourselves is important,  and especially despite our earlier preconceptions. We know from human experience that this kind of moment is not always easy. It involves a level of humility (that not all of us are good at). To climb down from previously clearly stated positions and it is to Nathanael’s credit that he does this. We need help from the Holy Spirit with moments where we need to recognise something new and radical of God among us like this. Especially where it challenges something we have held dear for a long time.

In these days of lockdown 3 there is much to challenge us and shake our foundations, recognising as Nathanael did who Jesus is, what he did and why, is one of the things that will give us the strength to persevere…No matter how dark it gets.

Let’s move on to the more tricky first reading from Revelation. This one tells us more about what we need to recognise about Jesus. This reading is quite pictorial and visionary – so let’s first unpack the action!

The writer of revelation – John – sees and describes a scroll. It is in God’s right hand, written on both sides and sealed with seven seals. John then describes the quest to find someone worthy to open the sealed scroll. A mighty angel proclaims – who is worthy to open the scroll and break the seals… No-one is initially found who is worthy. No one in heaven, no one on earth or under the earth

John describes himself as weeping bitterly, because no-one can open the scroll or look at it. One of the gathered elders then asks John to stop weeping. He says there is someone who can open the scroll and its seals. And he gives that someone the title the lion of Judah, the root of David (and I will come to these titles at the end of this sermon).

John then sees the lamb. He describes where the lamb is– in the middle of the scene, and the state the lamb is in – looking as though it has been slaughtered. The lamb takes the scroll from the right hand of God. The elders worship before the lamb singing a new song. The song contains the recognition of who the lamb is.

The words include that the lamb is worthy to take the scroll and open its seals, and the reasons for his worthiness are laid out. First he was slaughtered. Second he has ransomed all people for God by his blood, thus making us a kingdom serving God.

All of this is neither the language or approach to describing what Jesus did for us on the cross we would usually use. But it is recognition none the less of what it cost Jesus to save us. I always think it is difficult to feel the fullness of Easter joy without reflecting on the pain and the cost of Good Friday. Describing Jesus as the slaughtered lamb, and that his blood ransomed us is graphic but is the granite truth of the cost to Jesus and it is important to recognise this. Knowing the jeopardy and the price paid for Jesus to save us does help us with perspective. For me this is the fundamental truth of our faith in God, loving Father, Risen Son and ever present Holy Spirit. It doesn’t work without the sacrifice and the death involved. But for us – it is enough, so much more than enough to bring us into God’s kingdom forever.

The scope of Jesus costly love is startling too. It is for everyone – the vision includes every tribe, language, people and nation and that we are all in a kingdom now, serving our God. Again, it takes the big point of recognition and turns it around to us in how we should respond as Nathanael responded by following Jesus. So we need to do likewise serving him how and where we can. Revisiting and recognising Jesus saving love for us through the imagery of this vision is a call to renew our hearts in God’s service.  One of the ways to best keep on track is to pause, and pray and lift our hearts in worship. We can do this anytime – anywhere.

In the middle of the vision – The slaughtered lamb is described as the lion of the tribe of Judah. This is reference to the description of Jacob’s son, Judah in Genesis, head of the tribe of Judah. It is also a motif for victory – We will remember how the lion lies down with the lamb in Isaiah’s prophecy. In Jesus we have the lamb willing to lay down his life, and the lion of the victory won for us.

The lamb is also described as the root of David – which we find to be fulfilling the prophecy about Jesus’ heritage and lineage. Again, we remember the prophecy of the new shoot coming from the root of Jesse (David’s father) from Isaiah.

Both of these titles tie us back to what Nathanael saw and experienced in Jesus. Let us pray for faith and deeper recognition of the truth that Jesus is the Son of God, the King of Israel – the lion of the tribe of Judah and the root of David. And find our strength and resolve in service of him and hearts open to worship Him anytime anywhere. Amen

Prayer of adoration

Creator God, how awesome you are! Our lives were known to you before we came into being.
Marvellous Lord, Everything we do, think and say – you know about. Such infinite wonder!
Eternal, loving Lord, ever helping us to see and be more like you. How awesome you are, glorious Lord. Everywhere we go your hand is with us, always guiding and revealing your blessings – as we praise, listen and act. Amen.

This Prayer is taken from rootsontheweb.com and is copyright © ROOTS for Churches Ltd. Reproduced with permission.

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989

Link to the video for this reflection: https://youtu.be/r77zAeIpdns

Link to the Church of England Service for this Sunday which should be available after 9am on Sunday 10th  January

https://www.churchofengland.org/news-and-media/join-us-church-online/weekly-online-services/plough-sunday

Acts 19.1-7, Mark 1.4-11

In the name of the living God, Loving Father, Risen Son and ever present Holy Spirit. Amen.

In our Epiphany journey we have shifted today on from the visit of the magi, through to the very first days of Jesus ministry. But even before Jesus comes into focus in Mark’s gospel account, we are introduced to John the baptizer, whose primary purpose was to prepare the way for Jesus. This year, in our readings, we concentrate on Mark’s gospel and much of it is very like the passage we heard read by Alison this morning. A lot of action distilled into a very small amount of words. We have the whole story of John and the baptism of Jesus done and dusted in just 8 verses. All the other gospel accounts give us much more information, particularly Luke which fills in the whole back story of John with his parents Elizabeth and Zechariah.

For example, in Luke, John was the baby that leapt in the womb of his mother Elizabeth when she encountered Mary. And Elizabeth was the one at that point who exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb”. If you haven’t read it recently, it is worth reading the whole of the first chapter of Luke’s gospel. It tells how the story of the birth of John the Baptist fits around the story of Mary’s response to God’s call on her life.

Anyway, we find John this morning baptising and proclaiming a baptism of repentance in the wilderness. There must have been something spectacularly charismatic about John. People were not drawn to him for his sartorial elegance, his smart attire or his unusual diet. Let alone for his message. Generally, I do not find that stressing the need to repent of our sins (important and helpful as that can be to us) is something that usually attracts a crowd. Let alone a crowd that has to have made quite a big effort including significant inconvenience and discomfort to travel to a wilderness to hear it. My view here is that John’s integrity and authenticity was the draw. When we know something or someone is the real deal it can help as to make the necessary effort to travel to see them. We need to put out of our minds our world beset with fake news, and at times people being flagrantly economical with the truth! The impact of this has been particularly graphic this week – with scenes I hope we never see again in my life time. Please pray for the people of the United States of America.

It is also not a small number of people who go to John to be baptised and repent – our gospel says – all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him. Add to this – that people are travelling to be baptised and repent not because John is the main draw. John clearly says to them that he is only the warm up act as he proclaims: ‘The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals’.

It is also worth noting here that the use of repentance is using a Greek word that carries the sense of ‘a change of mind’ or ‘a change of heart’. It relates far more to the promise of a new future than to mulling over the sins of the past. John is clear that what he is offering is only stage one of the new life into which God invites us. And we can hear that too in what Johns says next ‘8I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.’

Finally, Jesus appears over the horizon and in 3 short verses – he is baptised by John, this is a new stage in his life too, as he moves away from the hidden years in Nazareth, begins his active ministry and the stuff he had come to earth for. And then something amazing happens as he comes up out of the water or more correctly I should say God does something amazing. People of Jesus’ time tended to imagine a rigid, unbreakable barrier dividing earth and heaven, one that made it impossible for humanity to reach God. Now this barrier is torn apart and God’s Spirit comes powering through, like a descending dove on him. And a voice is heard from heaven that says ‘You are my Son, the Beloved, with you I am well pleased’.

The world is indeed changed by this moment as it heralds the time of Jesus active ministry, and the start of his teaching. Teaching we still rely on and take to heart to govern our days two thousand years on. It is rightly described as a new beginning and seasonally a significant epiphany moment.

In Victorian times another new beginning was also marked at this moment of our epiphany season. If we get in touch with our Victorian forebears this Sunday was traditionally known as Plough Sunday and celebrated on the next Sunday after Epiphany. It speaks of a time before farmers had their own ploughs, the communal plough decked with ribbons would be brought into the village or town church where God’s blessing would be asked for the work that it was to do. It is quite likely this happened here in Victorian days. After the service, the plough would be paraded around the village or the town, usually with dancing and stopping at every pub for refreshment! The farmers who were going to use it would give contributions towards the cost of its upkeep, and often to the upkeep of the church where it had been blessed. The work officially began on the following Monday  – though if the revelling was excessive sometimes Tuesday or even Wednesday. In medieval times – some ploughs were kept in the parish church, and some churches kept a ‘plough-light’. In days when work was scarce in winter, the observance of Plough Sunday looked forward to the time of sowing with the promise of a harvest to come. We are so much more detached with our supermarkets and accessible food supplies from the impacts of poor harvests than our forebears were.

Times have changed, ploughing tends to follow harvesting and therefore much more an autumnal activity. Nor do we, in England at least, still use shared village owned ploughs. Remembering Plough Sunday, once again is a tradition to help us connect with the agricultural year, to reconnect us to times and seasons, and with a focus on praying for all aspects of the world of work. This last year, 2020, has been very difficult for almost everybody in different occupations, walks of life and times of life. It is important to pray for our rural economy and all who work to farm and steward the land around us. We have come to cherish and be more thankful for our farmers and their endeavours, and what can be sourced locally has been much more obvious to us.

At the start of this new year, it is pretty clear that we are still in the grips of this pandemic with this very unwelcome new and more virulent strain of the virus More restrictions are now in place to help prevent the spread.  At this time of new beginnings it is important to pray for our world of work. This has been impacted in so many ways by our pandemic, with people furloughed alongside others losing their livelihoods completely (and levels of unemployment rising). It has been even more difficult for those for whom their usual line of work has been pretty much impossible, which encompasses much of the arts and those involved in exhibitions, county and country fairs, and the like. Maybe we know people amongst our family and friends where this is the case, and times are hard, it is especially important to pray and to be of practical help if we are able.

It also a time of new beginnings for the roll out of vaccines and we must particularly pray for this too. Logistically, this is going to be very difficult so let’s pray for wisdom, tenacity and safety in those organising and involved.

Returning to Jesus baptism, as I was saying this was what we would call a real epiphany moment for him. We understand that the word epiphany means a manifestation of God or the divine or a superhuman being (like an angel from God). This is the most true definition to the origin of this phrase, which comes from the Greek epiphaneia, which is used in the New Testament letters. It describes Jesus’s appearing (either when he came originally – and the divine broke through into our world as it did at his baptism). All the events we remember through this epiphany season point to this kind of wonder.

Interestingly we have come to use the word epiphany to mean something other but related in recent times. In common speech today as well as it meaning an encounter with the divine, we also tend to use it to describe real light bulb moments we have had. Moments when we suddenly see order where there was chaos or understand something fully for the first time! This meaning is much more commonly used as a sudden or striking revelation, when we don’t see things in the same way again. In the main epiphany moments in this sense are positive and enlightening, but they can be life changing.

I cannot speak for you, but I am conscious of a string of ‘epiphany’ moments of this sort in this last year. Particularly what is important and what really matters.  I am expecting more epiphany moments as the days lengthen, the snow drops herald the spring once more and the impact of vaccinations begins to make the difference we need. Let’s take stock today as we mark the baptism of Christ and Plough Sunday. Maybe take time to think back and write a list of our 2020 epiphany moments. Then pause and give thanks, reconnecting them with what they say of our encounter with the divine – the God that loves us so much he sent us Jesus. God is saying to us just us much as he did to his son Jesus – You are my beloved. Let’s rest in his presence and love in our epiphany moments and the ones to come, and our new beginnings, whilst focusing our prayers for those who work the land and the world of work as a whole, and all those involved in healthcare and the vaccine roll out programme. Amen

The New Revised Standard Version (Anglicized Edition), copyright 1989, 1995 – some material from rootsontheweb.com

Based on Ephesians 3:1-12 and Matthew 2:1-12

Link to the video reflection:

In the name of the Living God, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit Amen

I went to a very traditional all girls secondary school in Cheam in Surrey, called Nonsuch High School for girls. It is in the park that used to be part of Henry VIII Nonsuch Palace Estate. From my very first year there one of my most vivid memories was of the traditional nine lessons and carol services we had on the last day of the Autumn term. As part of this – we sang a beautiful carol that the 11 year old me had not encountered before – Three Kings from Persian lands afar. Half the school sang the tune and half sang another part with completely different words (which I know now to be called a ‘chorale’). It is a piece written by Peter Cornelius and is more traditionally sung by a solo tenor with a supporting choir singing the other part – rather than a school full of girls.

If you are watching me online – then there is a link on the email from the office or in the post for Epiphany on the Wincanton parish church web site. Or click here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thu3vgz5y28 Three Kings from Persian lands afar by Peter Cornelius and it is sung by the choir of Kings College Cambridge.

Anyway the first verse begins to tell the Epiphany story

Three Kings from Persian lands afar To Jordan follow the pointing star: And this the quest of the travellers three, Where the new-born King of the Jews may be. Full royal gifts they bear for the King; Gold, incense, myrrh are their offering.

As we think on those words we have to remember what an incredible venture the journey for the kings was. The kings set out to follow a star without knowing where they were going and without knowing what they would find. The courage of their journey is impressive and one we should learn from.

I have always liked the idea of the pointing star too. Stars are very special and one of the wonders of our beautiful world. Think first of the Kings following a particular star and travelling a long way to follow it. Following a star when we think about it cannot have been easy. First it would have meant travelling at night (which is much more hazardous) or fixing the direction of your travel by the star light and sticking to it. There was also the jeopardy of kings getting lost. If we have ever tried following a straight line irrespective of everything around us, we know how many difficulties we might encounter on the way. All right if the straight line follows a path or a convenient roman road but there are lots of other hazards we could find if it didn’t.

The main theme in the carol continues

The star shines out with a steadfast ray; The kings to Bethlehem make their way, And there in worship they bend the knee, As Mary’s child in her lap they see; Their royal gifts they show to the King; Gold, incense, myrrh are their offering.

Firstly, in that verse there is the word steadfast. The need to keep going – in this case the star to keep shining and encouraging the kings to be strong and determined and to keep travelling even though they didn’t know where they were going. Then the verse went on to think about the gifts the kings brought. If we were bringing a gift for a child what kind of things would we bring? All rather different I suspect from the gifts the Kings brought.

These significant gifts point to the deeper things going on here. There being much more to this situation than meets the eye. The gold to depict Jesus as king and as a place where real power lies. The frankincense with its roots in worship of God – and Jesus unique and special role in that. The myrrh which points to the way of suffering and death Jesus was to die for us

We need to think about the things we have been given our special gifts and talents, our circumstances and our lives and look for the deeper things of God in them. Particularly where there is more to our situations than meets the eye. In our hearts in love with God, see in all that we are and all that we have the way that we should be following Jesus and pointing in all our lives to the love Jesus has for us.

The final verse of the carol has a slightly different tune and begins

 Thou child of man, lo, to Bethlehem The Kings are travelling, travel with them!

Again this takes us on the journey, and though these days we often think of life as a journey as we like to reflect as time goes on growth and progress – we need to remember that we need to understand our lives from God’s perspective. Travelling in faith with God just as much as the Kings did. Travelling in faith as the kings did IS not always comfortable or cosy. As primarily it meant journeying into the unknown as it so does at the moment! Trusting God to bring us to new places and new understandings without knowing what those are going to be in advance! And not knowing what we may need to pack for the journey. In this new year – we are still in the unknown and unprecedented – let’s continue to concentrate on each next step with God guiding our hearts.

Then the final verse continues to remind us of two critical aspects of this journey

The star of mercy, the star of grace, shall lead thy heart to its resting place.

Mercy – God’s amazing and overwhelming love and forgiveness for us. Grace – God stooping to meet us, as the psalmist says – what are mortals that you are mindful of us. But God is entirely mindful, loving and concerned way beyond what we could ever earn or deserve.

Then the verse ends reminding us about what we bring to the God that loves us so much – where it says

Gold, incense, myrrh thou canst not bring; Offer thy heart to the infant King. Offer thy heart.

What our loving heavenly father God wants most from us is our love. He placed that love in our hearts to begin with and wants us to love him and share his love with others. How we live our lives in love with God starts and finishes with love. Love in our hearts and love shared with others. The message of the kings, their presents and their journey comes back to our understanding of how much we love God, and God loves us. Whether we are a King from Persian lands afar or a resident of Wincanton or Pen Selwood – we need to respond and first and foremost offer our hearts to the infant king. Offer our hearts. Amen

A prayer for our journey 

As the wise men journeyed in faith we pray now for our faith. Grow our faith in us, good God. Fill us with a spirit of understanding, a willingness to spend time travelling closer to you.

As the wise men journeyed in faith, we pray now for courage to travel wherever you may take us; and to make you the focus of our journey. We pray for our churches and the journey of faith we have together.

As the wise men journeyed in faith bringing gifts to you, we give thanks for our gifts and ask that they are a source of blessing for the world. Give us strength to live sacrificial lives, sharing our time and our resources to bring about your kingdom.

As the wise men journeyed in faith – we pray for those currently on difficult journeys, the sick, the dying those who have recently died and those who are bereaved.

As the wise men journeyed in faith their journey became a sign, their meeting with God incarnate a prophecy of change: give us grace to embrace the justice and peace of your kingdom. We pray for our world

As the wise men journeyed in faith, we thank you for their example of steadfastness and perseverance, and pray for your spirit to follow their example. Amen

CCLI – Song reproduced and streaming license under CCLI 217043 for St Peter and St Paul Church, Wincanton, Prayer adapted from rootsontheweb.com, The New Revised Standard Version (Anglicized Edition), copyright 1989, 1995

There is a service video link here https://youtu.be/rqekLvVBfec

Penny chose this  poem for our reflection and is included in the service.

What Kind of Messiah

By Godfrey Rust

What kind of Messiah does anyone want? What sort of Saviour will do? Before we subscribe and get dunked in the font, what kind of Messiah are you? What kind of Messiah does anyone need in our postmodern hullabaloo? What qualifications will help him succeed? What kind of Messiah are you?

Will you stop us from worry and calm us from fear? Will you free us from debt and fatigue? Will you send Boris Johnson* packing next year? Will you put us on top of the League? Will you heal our diseases with mystical magic so we’ll live to 102? Will you make it all better when things turn out tragic? What kind of Messiah are you?

Will you find me a partner and get me a job? Will you save me a good place to park? Will I be superfit even though I’m a slob? Will you keep me a berth in the ark? Will you answer my prayers (but not everyone else’s)? Will you make all my wishes come true? Will you bless all of Liverpool*’s strikers (not Chelsea’s!)? What kind of Messiah are you?

Will you be kind to Hindus and good atheists? Will you send all the bad ones to hell? Will you show Richard Dawkins he doesn’t exist? What is it you’re planning, do tell! Will you stop every war, every flood and tsunami and remove the excess CO2? Will you fix all the people who’re driving me barmy? What kind of Messiah are you?

Will you make sure my mortgage rate doesn’t go higher? Stop me drinking too much alcohol? Can I win EuroMillions and go and retire to a house on the Costa del Sol? Will you bless my belief and ignore my behaviour and vindicate all that I do? Oh, just be my own private and personal Saviour— what kind of Messiah are you?

© Godfrey Rust 2012, godfrey@nullwordsout.co.uk