Fr Philip writes...
2019:
December
Christmass is the day we celebrate the entrance of the all-powerful, ever-present, all righteous and glorious God into our world. And where was he?
He was lying in a manger.
He was lying in a manger.
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It is disturbing that the God of all ages is lying in an animal’s food trough in a filthy stable. A Bethlehem inn was no Holiday Inn, for it consisted of a crude series of stalls built within an enclosure with a fire pot for cooking. Even in this dismal place there was no room and despite Mary’s obvious pregnancy, no-one offered a space for her. Mary and Joseph ended up where animals were stabled, with hay and animal waste littered the floor.
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So God entered the world in a place no-one cared about – in a manger, probably in a cave in Bethlehem. He came to a decidedly hostile world which was full of mankind’s sinfulness. We would expect God to be finished with us, but he lived physically among us as one of us for 33 years. He approached lepers with a touch; he healed with compassion and fed the hungry with concern. In the past it had always been ‘God over us – God above us – God in the mountain – God in the cloud’ – but never before ‘GOD WITH US’.
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God came to remove the barriers between Him and us. When God came to us in Jesus, he had to get close enough to be visible in a way that would not instantly invoke fear in us, so he had to become one of us.
Baby Jesus grew up in the midst of a very sinful world, spending time speaking to prostitutes, tax-collectors and those who thought they were religious. He was saying, “There’s a place for you in my house; I want you to come and live with me.” This is the God of Christmass. God wants to live with us. |
I often feel we can be like a wild animal stuck in a river. All attempts to rescue it are unwelcome, for the wild creature sees any attempt to save it as a threat and as a result the animal kicks, bites and hinders any attempt to save it. I fear we are no different. The Christmass Day Gospel says:
“To all who did accept him he gave power to become children of God.” |
This Christmass please consider afresh – God was made flesh in Jesus for you and me.
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A little girl was given a bedroom on her own and the first night there was a bad thunderstorm.
“Mummy, Mummy,” she shouted, “I’m afraid!” Mummy said, “God will care for you.” “Yes," said the little girl, “but right now I want someone with skin on.” She needed human contact – and God has given us this in Jesus. May we respond to “God with skin on”. HAPPY CHRISTMASS! |
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November
November is traditionally called “the month of the dead”.
In the first epistle of St Peter, Ch 3 v 19 we are told Christ himself ‘in the spirit went to preach to the spirits in prison’ and in Ch 4 v 6 we read:
In the first epistle of St Peter, Ch 3 v 19 we are told Christ himself ‘in the spirit went to preach to the spirits in prison’ and in Ch 4 v 6 we read:
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‘The dead had to be told the Good News as well, so that though, in their life on earth, they had been through the judgement that comes to all humanity, they might come to God’s life in the spirit.’
There seems to have been a definite belief in the early Church, on which the Apostles’ Creed is based, that during the time between his Crucifixion and Resurrection Jesus preached to the dead. |
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The Mass is the eternal sacrifice of Christ made present to us under forms of bread and wine.
The priest, as he extends his hands over the bread and wine prays:
The priest, as he extends his hands over the bread and wine prays:
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“Let your Spirit come upon these gifts to make them holy so they may become for us the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ your Son.”
Just as it was through the power of the Holy Spirit that Jesus was conceived and became man in Mary’s womb, so it is through the power of the same Spirit that the bread and wine are transformed into the Body and Blood of Christ. |
In November we pray many of our Masses for the dead; these Masses are called ‘REQUIEMS’. On All Souls’ Day (2nd Nov) we pray for ALL the dead. On Remembrance Sunday for those who have died in the two World Wars and since. On other occasions for departed benefactors of our church; for all who have been forgotten; for all whose anniversaries occur in November and for those who have committed suicide. We pray they will experience the Light of Christ, hence the number of candles lit for them.
We also have our third annual service for families of children who have died – the Service of Light – at 2.30 pm on Saturday 23rd November.
I conclude these notes with prayers that I hope will help in visits to graves or to the Holy Cross Chapel in our church, where we especially remember the departed:
Prayer for the Dead |
Prayer for those who have taken their own lives |
October
We observe Harvest Thanksgiving this month, with a school service at 2.45 pm on 11th October, and Masses at Mason Court on Thursday 10th Oct, in St Mary’s church on Saturday 12th Oct at 5.00 pm and Sunday 13th Oct at 9.30 am. As usual, our gifts of clothing, toiletries and food will be given to St Martin’s House in Norwich (the night shelter). This ties in well with World Homeless Week, which is from 6th to 13th October.
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We only have to walk through any large English town or city to notice the growing number of people living on the streets. They have become homeless for a variety of reasons, including: loss of job, breakdown in relationships or end of tenancy.
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The story of the Good Samaritan is well known (Luke 10 v 25-37). Let us examine it more closely as we prepare for Harvest.
“A man was going down the road”: Jesus does not attach any labels to the man, though it is reasonable to assume he was Jewish. He was a human being and that is all that matters. “He was set upon by bandits”: These were heartless, violent men who preyed on the weak. “A priest and a Levite saw him lying there half dead… but passed by”: Neither of these religious men felt compassion for the wounded man. “A Samaritan came along”: He saw the wounded man, felt loving concern for him and went to his aid. He wasn’t put off by the fact that the man was a Jew, even though Jews and Samaritans were bitter enemies at that time. |
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We know very little about the priest, the Levite and the Samaritan, but we know what kind of people they were. The priest and Levite were self-centred and put themselves first. The Samaritan was unselfish and put the other person first. The priest and Levite were guilty of the sin of omission – doing nothing when something should have been done.
I believe this can be one of our greatest failings; it’s so easy to think that as long as we don’t harm anyone, all is well. |
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The most disturbing thing in Jesus’ story is not the attack on an innocent man but the fact that the two people whom you would expect to help passed by without doing anything or feeling any pity at all. This parable is so relevant today, particularly in World Homeless Week. How many people today lie wounded by the roadside of Life?
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Their wounds are not always visible, for many of life’s deepest wounds are invisible.
People can be wounded in spirit; by being made redundant, being a deserted wife or mother, children can feel unloved, elderly or disabled people may feel lonely, a depressed person may feel suicidal – all are waiting for someone to notice, have pity and help, but may not have the courage to call out. They are waiting for the Good Samaritan. |
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The question we must all ask ourselves is this: ‘Is my heart big enough to embrace someone in need?’
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In a world of indifference and preoccupation with self, we have opportunities to shine out like lights in the dark. In the Gospel story the Good Samaritan brushed all negative thoughts aside and opened his heart – and pocket- to the wounded man. He couldn’t find it in himself to pass by a fellow human being who was wounded and crying out for help....
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What about you and me?
September
Again and again over the years I have heard people criticize the Church in this way: “Why doesn’t the Church speak out?” It is so easy for people to point a finger at bishops and priests but fail to look at themselves.
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Spreading the Good News of the Kingdom cannot be achieved in God’s Church by leaders alone, but only when laity (those who are not ordained) work together with them. In the Gospels we read how Jesus sent out not only the ordained - i.e. the 12 apostles: (Luke 9 v 1-6) but also the 72 others - i.e. the laity (Luke 10 v 1-20).
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The numbers 12 and 72 add to make 84, which in the Bible signifies completeness and perfection, since it is the product of 7 and 12, both special numbers indicating spiritual perfection.
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The building of God’s Kingdom must be done by priests and laity together. In the Eastern Orthodox churches, the priest is known as the ‘Ikon of Jesus Christ’ – the living personification of him – not meaning the priest’s character, since all fall very short of Jesus’ character, but his function in presiding over the Mass, proclaiming God’s Word, administering the Sacraments and leading prayer etc. But the priest cannot proclaim the Kingdom without the laity.
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St Mark tells us ‘Jesus could not work many miracles there.’ (Mark 6 v 5) Where? In his home village of Nazareth - because people failed to believe he was capable of doing any miracles because of their antagonism, jealousy, indifference and refusal to co-operate.
Fr Stanton
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The words of Fr Arthur Stanton, that famous Anglo-Catholic priest of St Alban’s Holborn, have been my aim during my 50 years as a priest. He said,
“This is what I should like to be said of me when I am dead and gone the way of all flesh, ‘He preached Jesus’.” I hope I have preached Jesus and continue to do when I preside at Mass, preach God’s Word and do all other priestly duties. You, as laity are also called to live the Christian life. Hans-Reudi Weber wrote the following words in ‘Salty Christians’: |
“Too often clergy undertake to fulfil by themselves the ministry of the church. All too often the laity delegate their ministry to one man – the clergyman. This ‘one-man show’ is deeply unbiblical. Christ does not grant special gifts only to men and women who are full time, lifetime employees of the Church. All the people of God share in Christ’s ministry to the world. Of course, the clergyman is chosen by God for certain important functions in the Church, and for these functions he is ‘ordained’. One of these important functions is to nourish, equip, help and sustain the laity for their ministry.”
Bishop Norman leading a Bible Study in Norwich Cathedral
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Bishop Philip North writes in ‘Together’, the voice of Catholic Anglicans: “In Mark 3:14 Jesus calls the disciples to be with him and to be sent out. It’s as simple as that. On the one hand they are to be with him in prayer, worship and teaching and in the very same action they are to be sent out to share the Good News of the Kingdom.”
If you can fulfil that as laity and I do as your priest, we shall have the perfect balance for reaching out to others (72 +12 =84). |
August
August is the month of our Patronal Festival – the Assumption of Our Lady – and it is closely associated with the message of Easter. The Good News of Easter is that Jesus has triumphed over sin and evil and so will we if we open our hearts to his Easter Power. The Good News is that every ‘Good Friday’ in our lives can be turned into an ‘Easter Sunday’ and that nothing can defeat us any more – not pain, sorrow nor even death. The Good News of Easter is that Jesus will work a miracle in our lives today if we open ourselves to his Easter power. The disciples believed again after despairing; they loved after hating. The power of Easter continues to work miracles in people’s lives wherever it is preached and wherever people open themselves to it.
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Mary was the first to respond to the Good News when she said ‘YES’ to Gabriel so that God could become flesh from her flesh. When she received the Word of God she set out to share the Good News with her cousin Elizabeth. Mary is the first human being to bring the Good News of Jesus to someone else and she does it simply by carrying Christ within her.
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The Assumption of Mary is one of the oldest celebrations in the Church. Mary, the one who bore in her womb the Messiah – God made Man – has not been left to return to dust, but is in heaven body and soul. She is now what we will be in due course.
What is this feast saying to us? It says that we, too, are called, body and soul to glory. |
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Mary’s glory in heaven pledges that Christ brings everlasting life to all who put their hopes in him. This celebration is Mary’s Easter. She is the woman of our harvest-time, when the earth is laden with golden corn and ripe fruit is waiting to be gathered in. The Assumption reveals the importance of the body, as the whole person is called to participate in the mystery of salvation. It is a reminder that we will one day die and stand before Jesus, the first judge (2 Timothy 4 v 8). |
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Are we ready to meet Jesus now? Do we pray for a happy death? This feast calls us to prepare with hope and confidence in God’s mercy for the moment of our death.
JulyLast month I wrote about FAITH in these terms:
I want to apply this word to the Ministry of Healing. In 1859 Charles Blondin crossed the Niagara Falls on a tightrope. He asked the crowd whether they believed he could push a wheelbarrow across the Falls with somebody sitting in it. There was no shortage of those who shouted that they believed in it. This was INTELLECTUAL FAITH and the crowd had no problem with it.
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FAITH
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He then asked for a volunteer to sit in the barrow. At that point people were less keen, but one woman agreed, got into the wheelbarrow and put herself in his hands. Both made the crossing safely. That was TRUSTING FAITH.
We need to go a step further to VISIONARY FAITH which sees opportunities beyond problems. Mother Teresa looked at poverty in Calcutta and her visionary faith showed there was opportunity to do something beautiful for God. Many would have said the problem was so hard that nothing could be done.
We then move on to EXPECTANT FAITH. There is an old cynical saying: “Blessed are those who expect nothing: they shall not be disappointed” Those who make that their motto will never go far in faith, for there is no sign of expectancy. Jesus said,
We need to go a step further to VISIONARY FAITH which sees opportunities beyond problems. Mother Teresa looked at poverty in Calcutta and her visionary faith showed there was opportunity to do something beautiful for God. Many would have said the problem was so hard that nothing could be done.
We then move on to EXPECTANT FAITH. There is an old cynical saying: “Blessed are those who expect nothing: they shall not be disappointed” Those who make that their motto will never go far in faith, for there is no sign of expectancy. Jesus said,
“I tell you in truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move.” (Matt 17 v 20) |
Faith itself does not heal, but faith releases the power of God already present and provides a channel through which healing energies may flow.
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When these channels are open this healing power can come in. My faith means I believe God alone has the love and power to heal, by all kinds of means which include, but are not confined to medical skill and procedures. When I have done all I can in the power of faith, then I must leave the result to God, rather like the woman who sat in Blondin’s wheelbarrow.
A community of believers, trusting in God’s healing love, is a most powerful healing force. They build up each other’s faith and expectancy. The power of healing permeates the praying Christian community, but we need more than intellectual faith, to ‘let go and let God’ and allow our faith to become a TRUSTING, VISIONARY and EXPECTANT FAITH. May God give us the grace to do this. |
June
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June is a month of festivals –
Ascension Sunday (2nd June), the birthday of the Church at Whitsun, or Pentecost (9th June), the Most Holy Trinity (16th June), Corpus Christi (23rd June) and Saints Peter & Paul (29th June). All these days call us to do great things for God. Very often people who are keen to push themselves forward are likely to do people more harm than good, because they rely on their own reserves and seek their own glory. When we acknowledge our emptiness, God can fill us and he accomplishes in us the things we find difficult or impossible. |
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However, it is so easy to use our sins and weaknesses as a cop-out. St Paul said, “Of all the apostles I am the least; I don’t even deserve the name ‘Apostle’.” (1 Corinthians 15 v 9).
St Peter said, “Leave me, Lord, I am a sinful man.” (Luke 5 v 8) When we act like Peter we are giving into our sinfulness. |
But who did Jesus come for? He came for sinners and changed people’s understanding of God. God is not someone who shuns sinners but wants them to be saved and given a new start. Paul and Peter eventually accepted God’s invitation and this is the paradox: strength comes from weakness. When we answer God’s call he empowers us with the Holy Spirit so we can do things we never thought possible. “There are no impossible situations – only those who have become impossible about them.”
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We all need someone to accept us for what we are, who believes we are capable of more and challenges us to realise it. I want us all to ponder the word FAITH.
Am I willing to accept God’s forgiveness? We need to abandon our self-sufficiency and to recognise the need to be touched by God, who will take us out of ourselves. One of the mysteries of life is the tremendous respect that God accords to human free will. |
FAITH
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He never forces us to change but invites us to open our hearts to his power. The question is:
Will we?
Will we?
May
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For hundreds of years May has been known as Mary’s month. The month’s name is derived from the Roman goddess Maia and from early times this season of the year was marked by merry-making and customs related to Spring. Some of these customs persisted through to our own times but lost their religious significance (e.g. the Maypole and May Queen). But from at least the 13th Century (when our church was first built) the Church has adapted these observances to religious ends by dedicating the month to Mary, crowning a May Queen to represent her and honouring her in music, procession and devotion.
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Why do we honour Mary? When she said ‘Yes’ to God - when the Angel Gabriel asked her to accept the unique request to be mother of God Made Man - she committed herself to a unique vocation. She only asked one question, not to query God’s wisdom but to ask how He intended to bring about this mysterious event: “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” (Luke 1 v 34)
In reply the angel assured her that the Holy Spirit would work wonders in her, but clearly she had to be willing and open to His plan and power: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow. And so the child will be holy and will be called Son of God.” (Luke 1 v 35)
At the time of the Annunciation Mary did not know where God was leading her or what this call might entail, yet she replied: “I am the Lord’s servant…let what you have said be done to me.”(Luke 1 v 38)
In reply the angel assured her that the Holy Spirit would work wonders in her, but clearly she had to be willing and open to His plan and power: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow. And so the child will be holy and will be called Son of God.” (Luke 1 v 35)
At the time of the Annunciation Mary did not know where God was leading her or what this call might entail, yet she replied: “I am the Lord’s servant…let what you have said be done to me.”(Luke 1 v 38)
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This is a blueprint of how our Christian attitude ought to be. Mary teaches us how we should respond in faith to God. She was the first Christian to be educated by the presence of the Holy Spirit within her. Elizabeth attested to Mary’s faith when she was visited by her: “Blessed is she who believed that the promise of the Lord would be fulfilled.”
These words seem to sum up Mary’s whole life and character. Faith is, above all, an acceptance and obedience of one person to another. Mary lived completely united in heart and mind to Jesus. I want to conclude with a thought about Walsingham. It is a place of healing and prayer. It has a unique atmosphere, recognisable by all, even those who find difficulty in belief. Pilgrims are seekers for God and Mary, Our Lady, always points to Jesus. Her message to Richeldis, the lady of the manor of Walsingham who had the first vision of Our Lady in 1061, was: “Whoever seeks my help there will not go away empty handed.” |
Our parish pilgrimage on 16th May is open to all, whatever your belief and no pressure will be put upon you. If you would like to join in this pilgrimage, even if just to see what it is like, please contact me (01449 766359).
April
Easter is about what happened to Jesus, and yet, as we read the Gospels, it is also about what happened to Jesus’ disciples. Mary Magdalene, the other women, John, Peter, the others and finally Thomas. They believed something had happened to them. They saw the empty tomb, they later ate with him and were willing to live their belief and die for their faith in the Risen Jesus.
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The Paschal (Easter) Candle is a symbol of the Risen Christ. We are invited to share the same faith as Peter, John and Mary Magdalene. The Resurrection is far more than a memory, for at every Mass we say: “CHRIST IS RISEN!” meaning it is not just historical but present. We are unable to witness to the events surrounding the empty tomb in the same way as the women and apostles and we do have to rely on someone’s testimony, but like them we need to receive it and make it our own.
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The Paschal Candle speaks of everlasting life. The tomb is a symbol of the womb – a place for new life. The child in the womb must ‘die’ to its old life to experience a new life in this world. Similarly, when our time in the ‘womb’ of this earthly life has reached full term, we shake off this mortal coil to begin another new life – everlasting life:
“In him, who rose from the dead, our hope of resurrection dawns. The sadness of death gives way to the bright promise of immortality. Lord, for your faithful people, life is changed, not ended. When the body of our earthly dwelling lies in death, we gain an everlasting dwelling place in heaven.” |
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That is why the Paschal Candle is placed by the coffin at a funeral – when our earthly journey has ended – and by the Font, where we begin our Christian journey.
Easter calls us to pass on our faith in the Risen Christ to others, rather like a baton is passed from one runner to the next in a relay race.
Second: our Christian faith in the resurrection should show in the way we treat each other. Mother Teresa of Calcutta said to a helper,
Easter calls us to pass on our faith in the Risen Christ to others, rather like a baton is passed from one runner to the next in a relay race.
Second: our Christian faith in the resurrection should show in the way we treat each other. Mother Teresa of Calcutta said to a helper,
“When you treat the poor, touch them in the way you would touch Jesus himself.” We all need to see people through the eyes of faith."
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Third: we need to learn to know Jesus like the early Christians did – in the Scriptures and in the Breaking of Bread (i.e. the Mass). They were changed by their worship.
Fourth: We should pray regularly for the departed, that they may partake fully in Christ’s resurrection. Happy Eastertide! |
March
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Lent begins in March this year. The word ‘Lent’ comes from an old English word meaning ‘Springtime’ and is observed at this time of the year when days begin to get longer. As there is new life in nature during Spring, it also reminds us of spring cleaning. Lent is a time of spiritual cleaning in our lives and we do this through repentance and reconciliation. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday – so called because of the ashes (made from last year’s Palm Crosses) placed on our foreheads to show we are sorry about our wrongdoing and serious about wanting to overcome sin.
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So often the only thing people seem to know about Lent is ‘giving up something’ without knowing why. The story is told of a priest returning one evening to his Rectory in the dark. He was accosted by a robber who pulled out a gun, pointed it at him and demanded, “Your money or your life!” As the priest reached his hand into his coat pocket, the robber saw his clerical collar and said, “So you’re a priest? Then you can go.”
The priest was rather surprised at this unexpected show of piety and so tried to reciprocate by offering the robber his packet of cigarettes, but the robber replied, “No, Father, I’ve given up smoking for Lent!”
The robber was trying to keep an outward show of not smoking in Lent whilst forgetting the far more fundamental commandment not to steal.
The priest was rather surprised at this unexpected show of piety and so tried to reciprocate by offering the robber his packet of cigarettes, but the robber replied, “No, Father, I’ve given up smoking for Lent!”
The robber was trying to keep an outward show of not smoking in Lent whilst forgetting the far more fundamental commandment not to steal.
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The ashes on Ash Wednesday are a sign of repentance of the change of heart we want to achieve so we become closer to God. Of course we can ‘do penance’ or show repentance by giving up our favourite foods, as Fasting is one of the 3 hallmarks of Lent which Our Lord encourages us to do. But we don’t give up luxuries like chocolate, for instance, just so we can binge on Easter Eggs 6 weeks later. Fasting should go hand-in-hand with the other two: Almsgiving and Prayer. |
- ‘Almsgiving’ means giving away money, including the savings made on those luxuries - to deserving people or charities. When we give money away we are demonstrating the love of God and love of our fellow human beings. This year we are encouraged to support the diocese of Kagera, a beautiful region in Tanzania, where the majority of its 1 million inhabitants live on less than £1 per day, mostly through subsistence farming. Parts of Kagera have some of the highest under-five mortality rates in the country. Lack of education and low capital investment in the area has led to a perception of poverty being the norm and to a dependency on external aid. As well as being twinned with our diocese, there is a closer link. In 2011 on a visit to Suffolk, Bishop Darlington, when a parish priest, joined us with his wife Emelia at a healing service at Mendlesham and on pilgrimage to Walsingham. His diocese serves communities through spiritual nurture, healthcare, education and poverty alleviation. Please give generously.
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2. Prayer. By prayer we grow closer to Christ, but it is far more important to listen to God than just talk to him. Two of the best ways are by listening to and reading God’s Word in the Bible and receiving the Body and Blood of Christ in Holy Communion. We pray, too, for our brothers and sisters in Christ in Kagera.
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Lent should not be a miserable time. It invites me to ask: How enthusiastically do I follow Jesus? Where does my enthusiasm come from? and What keeps my enthusiasm going? Let us all embrace these challenges wholeheartedly.
February
At the beginning of February we celebrate Candlemass – the day Simeon proclaimed Jesus as the Light of the World. All Christians have a directive from Jesus, who said, “You are the light of the world. No-one, after lighting a lamp, puts it under a bushel-basket, but on a lampstand and it gives light to the whole house.” (Matthew 5 v 14-15)
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Before Christmass we celebrated St Lucy’s day. She is often depicted in art wearing a crown of evergreen leaves in which are set five candles. She was born in Syracuse, Sicily, around the year 283 AD and lived at a time when it was dangerous to be a Christian because they were badly persecuted by the Emperor Diocletian. They met in secret and Lucy carried trays of food to their secret meeting places. So that her hands were free to carry the food she carried candles around her head so she could see where she was going.
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I would like us to think of a few ways that we can bring some light into the lives of those who surround us. A lady saw a poorly-dressed girl and was angry. She said to God, “How can you allow a child to suffer like that; why don’t you do something about it?” She then heard a voice, “I did - I created you.” In other words, God says, “You are my hands and feet in the world.” |
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I recently spent a day off in Norwich and was appalled to see how many people were sleeping rough. I received the newsletter from St Martin’s Housing Trust in Norwich (i.e. the Night Shelter) that we support at Harvest and I quote from James’ story:
While I was sleeping rough I discovered just how judgmental and downright horrible other human beings could be. I have been thrown up on, urinated on, spat on, called names and had all my worldly goods stolen… it makes you feel you are worthless and there is no point in your existence.”
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St Martin’s supported James off the street He is slowly and surely making better choices in order to move on with his life positively. To learn more, see St Martin’s website: www.stmartinshousing.org.uk
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Henry van Dyke wrote a story, first published in 1895 and retold in many different formats since, called ‘The Story of the Other Wise Man’. It was about an imaginary 4th Wise Man (accepting the tradition that they numbered three).
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He was called Artaban and was supposed to go with the other 3 in search of the newborn King, for whom he had a pouch of precious gems as a gift. On his way to join the other three he stopped to help a needy person. The delay was just enough to cause him to miss the other wise men. He never did catch them; he kept helping people and giving away all his gems. He ended up as a beggar in Jerusalem. One day he saw a criminal carrying a cross and was sad he couldn’t help him. As the criminal drew near, he turned to Artaban and said, “Don’t be sad; you’ve been helping me all your life.” Arteban did, indeed, find his king. |
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As Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” (Matthew 25 v 40)……..
May we all be lights for Jesus Christ.
May we all be lights for Jesus Christ.
January 2019
This month we celebrate the feast of Epiphany - the visit of the Wise Men to the infant Jesus with their gifts of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh. I want to concentrate on the first gift – of gold – given as a sign that Jesus is a king – but king of what? His kingdom is not of this world, not based on territory, force or arms, but people’s hearts. Jesus came to tell us the truth about God and he wants our lives to be ruled by him rather than the things of this world.
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When Jesus’ followers first began to associate with him there was a great atmosphere of expectancy: a feeling that something unique in their experiences was about to take place. Nathaniel said to him, “Rabbi, you are the Messiah, you are the king of Israel.” (John 1 v 49)
It would seem he realised the potential of Jesus to liberate Israel – to set her free from the Roman supremacy. But both Nathaniel and Pontius Pilate had much in common – they failed to understand Jesus’ words. Both were concerned with power. |
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Pilate was anxious to reserve his own power and did his best to remain neutral. Jesus was concerned with TRUTH. Concern for truth means listening to the voice of Christ: “All who are on the side of truth listen to my voice.” Listening to the voice of Jesus means not only wanting the truth but searching and thirsting for it. Christ’s kingdom is not one of power, but of love, service and forgiveness. Jesus asks us to stand by these – and if we do, we belong to his kingdom.
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So what part must we play? By our lives we must show Jesus to those we meet. We have to establish God’s kingdom here – one of love, service and forgiveness. Pilate understood only power and control – the strength of horses and soldiers. He did not get the notion of service and washing of feet.
Bishop Frank Weston, Bishop of Zanzibar, said the following words at an Anglo-Catholic Congress in 1923, which are as relevant today as they were nearly 100 years ago:
Bishop Frank Weston, Bishop of Zanzibar, said the following words at an Anglo-Catholic Congress in 1923, which are as relevant today as they were nearly 100 years ago:
“You have got your Mass, you have got your Altar, you have begun to get your Tabernacle. |
That is the meaning of following Christ the King. Let us make a resolution for this to be our experience. Happy New Year!
