Passionately living

This Sunday is Passion Sunday.  The Sunday when our gears shift slightly. Lent is continuing but we remember that we are getting closer to holy week and the marking of Good Friday. I remember that in the Church where I grew up all the crosses would be covered on this Sunday. This was done to remind us that we were entering into the final weeks of lent which are called Passiontide. 

In Passiontide we focus on the suffering of Jesus. This suffering involves humiliation, torture and death but it also takes us into the hope and promise of new life. It reminds us that we are forgiven. This is great news but before joy there is pain.

The gospel reading for Sunday is John 11:1-45. This passage is about Jesus raising his friend Lazarus from the dead. This happened in Bethany.  

The first time I went to the holy land was with a number of other Church leaders. When we arrived in Bethany there was an opportunity to go into the tomb of Lazarus. When we went down to the tomb there was plenty of room and we had time to spend there. When it was time to leave peoples names were called out. This was followed by the words ‘come out’. This of course, was very much like the words that Jesus used when he called Lazarus. 

Thinking about it now though, I can see that in the same way Jesus called Lazarus back to life, He calls us as well. 

We can all put ourselves into a place where we want to despair or be left alone. We can all want to try and hide from Jesus, or just refuse to hear Him calling us. We are not physically dead, but I think that we can put up barriers to protect ourselves from hurt, or doing something that we fear. 

Maybe we just need to imagine Jesus calling our name, making us leave the barriers that we may have put up. 

Lazarus was called to life and we all are as well. Jesus wants us all to enjoy a relationship with Him.

The next two weeks will lead us to remember Jesus dying for us and rising again so that we can enjoy life by following Him. 

I rather like putting a spin on words and I feel this about Passiontide. I want to see the life Jesus calls me to as a life which I will live ‘passionately’, or maybe put another way, ‘completely’. We are all called to live for Jesus and to do this wholeheartedly. As we do so we remember that it is because of His Passion that we can live forever in eternity.

Let's be passionate about living our lives for Jesus. 

Middle of a chain reaction

 As I thought about this coming Sunday, Mothering Sunday, I remembered all that I was taught about the day as a child. There was a lot of saying thank you and giving thanks. This is still true, and I am pleased about the way I was taught about this special day.

It is the day when we remember and give thanks for the love of our mothers and those who have loved us as a mother. We are also to remember our mother Church which is the Cathedral of our Diocese,  I also like to give thanks for the Church which nurtured me as I grew up. Then of course, there is the need to give thanks for Mary, the mother of Jesus and her willingness to accept the role of motherhood. So many reasons to give thanks.

The epistle reading (2 Cor. 1:3-7) for Sunday made me think not only of God’s love for us but also how we are to love and support one another.

In verse 4 we are reminded that when we suffer, God, through his love for us, offers consolation. This love, is meant to be passed on by us so that  we too can console others. It is like a chain reaction. 

If you are singing the Diana Ross song about being a chain reaction in your mind, don’t worry, I am as well. This could make you laugh and feel happy, or even bemused, but it is the constant reaction to something good.

In the song there are words about being in the middle of a chain reaction. It makes me think of the joy of being in the middle of a chain reaction, of sharing God’s love and consolation.

In one Church where I was, there was a little girl who showed a chain reaction of love by the way she treated other children. She acted like a Mum to them. It was lovely to see because as you watched the little girl you could see that she was copying her own Mum.  She even used the same phrases as her Mum did. She copied the love and care she received by offering the same to other children. 

She was in the middle of a chain reaction of love from her Mum and was continuing that chain by loving others.

In the epistle reading we read that we are consoled so that we can console others. It is a strange word, not one we would naturally use. However it really is an incredible thing. This is because consolation isn’t just a pat on the back. It we truly want to console someone then we need to get alongside them, to be there for them, it is about showing true love and care. 

It is about us putting ourselves where Jesus would be and offering more than just a kind word. It is about going the extra mile. 

As we give thanks for all those we both love and are loved by, so we give thanks that God loves us. We remember that we are invited into a chain reaction of love and care. To go the extra mile, to be like Jesus to others by the way that we live- our actions and the words that we say.

What a wonderful chain to be part of, let's keep the chain reaction going

Lost in love and grace

I love a good story which has a nice ending. One of the things I really enjoy is a good book. The kind where you are desperate to know what is going to happen but the book is so enjoyable you also don't want it to end. One of my favourite authors is Jane Austen. A while ago there was a short TV series called, ‘Lost in Austen.’ In this series a fan of the novels accidentally ended up in the world of Jane Austen, meeting the characters from her books.

As I looked at the gospel reading for this Sunday  (John 4:5-42) I thought that this could be a story that could be entered into. 

In the reading there are moments of suspense and excitement. In the reading, Jesus enters into enemy territory by going to a Samaritan city.  Samaritans and Jews were basically the same, but they thought differently on some aspects of their faith. This made them seriously doubt and dislike one another. 

With this in mind, Jesus’ actions of talking to a Samaritan woman, asking for water and having a debate could be seen as a suspense filled encounter.

In the discussion Jesus was able to point out that the woman should have asked Him for water.  The water Jesus was talking of was metaphorical, it was a water which would save the woman and give her life for ever. It was the gift caused by turning to Him. It was the gift of salvation, the gift of eternal life. 

Entering into the story we could almost be sat on the edge of our seats as we think about the wonder of salvation. Except there was more to come. Jesus asked the woman to get her husband. The woman replied that she did not have a husband. Jesus was then able to point out that He knew she had been married 5 times and was now with someone who she wasn't married to! 

The woman ended up having a deep theological conversation with Jesus about the difference between Jews and Samaritans over where they should worship. Jesus took a different route to the one she expected by saying that it would not matter where they worshipped. 

The woman took almost a last ditch attempt at conversation as she said that she knew the Messiah (the chosen One) was coming. However, Jesus responded in a way perhaps greater than all the other parts as He said that He was the Messiah.

This is wonderful news for us as well. Because of what Jesus did on the cross, by dying for us, we can also enjoy this peace and grace. We can enter the reading knowing that we can be lost in the grace and forgiveness of God as we enjoy a relationship with Him. 

It is more incredible than any story teller could create and yet it is completely real. We are invited into relationship with God. Frankly, I can't think of anything better than being lost in God’s love and grace. 

Confused or not ?

 As I thought about the gospel for this Sunday (John 3:1-17) I thought about being confused.  In the gospel reading Nicodemus, a teacher of the law went to Jesus. We don’t really know what Nicodemus wanted from Jesus, except he wanted some answers. He went to see Jesus at night, away from lots of people. 

Maybe he was trying to avoid the crowds, maybe he was hoping not to be seen by others who may have doubted Jesus. We can not be sure but as we read in the gospel Nicodemus had questions for Jesus and he wanted to find out more.  It was perfectly normal for one teacher of the law to ask another one questions. They learned through debating with each other and maybe Nicodemus was seeking such a debate. Of course, this debate didn't go quite as expected. 

This is why I thought about being confused.  Nicodemus asked Jesus about how to get to heaven. This was a reasonable question, the kind you would have expected two teachers to discuss. Of course, Nicodemus was confused, as Jesus told him that you needed to be born from above. To be born again. Nicodemus knew that physically you cannot be born all over again. However, in a moment of completely missing the point, a moment of being completely lost, Jesus needed to explain to Nicodemus that he was looking at things in the wrong way. 

Jesus showed Nicodemus that he needed  to admit his need for God, to humble himself and to realise that all he needed to do was accept God. Not just this but to allow God to transform him.  This was what Jesus meant by being born again. To be born again means to admit our need for God, to follow Him, and let our lives be transformed. 

Nicodemus thought he knew all that there was to know about God and yet Jesus explained to him that the most important thing is to become as new, to accept that actually we do not have all the answers, only God does. We need to have a relationship with Him where we realise that we must become a new person, a new creation, someone who believes that God can and does make a difference. 

This is amazing, but it can be hard when there are people in pain. It is hard  to always understand how pain happens and yet part of being born again is learning to trust God more.

The Psalm for Sunday (121) helps me with this. It is as if the Psalmist is looking to the mountains for help from the one who created them. There is  nothing better than going right to the source. The creator who protects and never leaves us. It is an amazing thought that the writer of the Psalm looked up and as they praised God they remembered that that even if they fell, God wouldn't leave them.

Things are not confusing at all. God loves us, and it is so much that, as verse 16 of the gospel reading reminds me, He sent His son to die so that we could have eternal life.

 

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Pray, face, receive

As I thought about the readings for this Sunday I thought especially of Lent. This is the season in which we remember Jesus being tempted in the wilderness as we read in the gospel reading for Sunday (Matthew 4:1-12).

I have often thought of Lent as the ultimate Spiritual exercise regime, it is a bit like aerobics!  I have tried normal aerobics, water aerobics and even step aerobics.  I have enjoyed each one but each one has caused me to get the moves wrong and to give up.

I started normal aerobics and it was going ok to be honest, until... I developed a lack of co-ordination followed by the strangest back pain ever which was like my stomach grumbling but in my back.  I suspect the lack of co-ordination had something to do with it!

Then there came water aerobics,  I was happily doing all the right exercises but then I realised that I was doing them differently to everyone else. Wearing my glasses so that I could see the instructor may have helped !  

Then I tried step aerobics, which would have been fine if I had not kept falling off the step.

All these attempts at aerobics led me to believe that me and aerobics are never going to be the best of friends.  

I am pleased that spiritual exercises are less energetic. Taking time to read the Bible, to pray and to listen to God is so important, it helps us to grow closer to God.

Prayer is about talking to God. My time with Him is to be time when I can be open with Him, explain what I am feeling and ask for His help.  In the wilderness Jesus prayed. 

In the wilderness Jesus also faced temptation. Temptation is one of those words that reminds me of a juicy book or soap-opera, and people doing something incredibly bad. But temptation can also be gossip, it can be saying an unkind word, it can be holding a grudge against someone, it can be about not letting go of hurt caused to us by someone else.  

Temptation is what ever takes us away from God and all that He is asking us to do. Which is, to be more like Him and to think before we do something. It may be to ask ourselves if all we do and say matches up to God. None of us is perfect and we make mistakes but part of being a disciple, a follower of Jesus is to keep turning to Him and turning away from all that would stop us being like Him.

At the end of the gospel reading we read that angels ministered to Jesus. Jesus had gone to get closer to the Father, He had faced temptation and now He was able to receive more and more of God’s love. 

I love the idea of angels ministering to Him. God ministers to us by helping  us, by loving us, by always being there and all He asks is that we trust Him to be a part of our lives. 

Lent and everyday is to be about praying, facing up to any difficulties, celebrating any joys and most importantly, recognising and receiving God’s love. I hope that I will use this Lent well to pray, face up, celebrate and  receive! 

Thinking about meeting God

As I looked at the readings for this Sunday I got thinking about what it might feel like to physically meet God. I can't imagine it really but if I tried to come up with words they would probably include ‘wonderful’ and ‘awe inspiring’. Then as I thought about the readings for this week and their descriptions of meeting God I wondered about excitement, fear, awe.

In the Old testament reading (Exodus 24:12-18) we read of Moses going up Mount Sinai to meet with God.  A lot of strange things had happened to Moses. He had previously met God through a burning bush. God had used him to get the people out of slavery in Egypt and now, as they wandered through the wilderness, God had laws to give him.

Moses went up the mountain as God had asked him to. To be honest I don't think the answer no would have been a good one. Moses went up, taking Joshua with him. When Moses got to the mountain it was covered by a cloud. This stayed for six days. Finally, on the seventh day God called to Moses. There was what looked like a fire. Moses was there for 40 days and 40 nights. 

A cloud, a fire and  we are told, Moses stayed there for a very long time.  Maybe for Moses, meeting God was surprising, mysterious, and the glory of God appeared to be like a fire. It was certainly a dramatic meeting.

In the gospel reading (Matthew 17:1-9) we read of the transfiguration of Jesus. This was another dramatic meeting, this time with glory which was dazzling. Jesus’ appearance changed. His face shone like the sun, his robes became dazzling white. This is amazing, can you imagine that feeling? A normal walk up a mountain and then your leader becomes like the sun, with dazzling clothes.

Not just this, but then suddenly two great hero’s appeared. Moses who brought the law to the people after he met with God and Elijah who prophesied to the people telling them how best they could keep that law. Peter had the reaction of wanting to hold onto this incredible feeling for as long as he could. He didn’t want this experience of being surrounded by Jesus, Moses and Elijah to end. This was something so incredible how could it possibly end? 

Peter was stopped in his plans by Moses and Elijah disappearing and God the Father speaking, telling Peter, James and John to listen to Jesus. 

The disciples were reassured that Jesus was not only worth following but He could still amaze them. 

Perhaps I see meeting with God as reassuring. After all, God had spoken to Moses and led the people of Israel out of Egypt. As Jesus was transfigured before them the three disciples could see that the one they followed really was God. 

In the gospel the next account we read is of Jesus and the three disciples going straight back to caring for others as Jesus healed a little boy.  The disciples had been energised, they had experienced something amazing. It gives me hope and assurance that Jesus will give me all I need. He will do the same for you, may we always remember the times when we have turned to God and just known everything would be ok in the end. This is a feeling that’s definitely worth pursuing. 

Don’t worry, be happy 😁

As I looked at the readings for Sunday I was reminded that regardless of anything else going on, God made us, He created us and He will look after us. This Sunday is  also known as Creation Sunday. It is a strange title, except every reading reminds us that we were created by God and given this beautiful world because God loves us.

The first reading is the rather long story of Creation (Genesis 1:1-2:3).  Whenever I read or hear this account I love to think of God looking at the world and thinking – not bad, I did that! I love the idea of Him being like an artist looking for perfection. I really like the thought of God being playful almost as He created. Almost a kind of, “Well let’s see what happens if I separate the waters.” And then “Let me see what else I can make.” Of course there are lots of different views in science but I believe that every one of these views points back to God.

The most important bit is that, however it was done, God created, and it was good. In the epistle reading from Romans (8:18-25) we read of the concerns of people as they waited for God to help them.  They had looked at the world around and the creation and they knew that things were not perfect and full of joy as God had intended them to be. Like all of us, as they waited, they were anxious. They knew that God was in control and that the suffering they saw was nothing compared to what they were going to see when they saw God in His glory.

It’s almost a bit like, “Don’t worry, be happy.” Well, that’s fine for other people but worry still happens for us all at times.  

It’s the gospel reading (Matthew 6:25-34) which helps me the most. I can picture  the disciples listening to Jesus as He told them not to worry. As Jesus spoke He appeared to be full of joy and wonder at the creation around Him. He looked at the birds and saw that they had no worries, everything was sorted out for them and they flew with freedom, and the lilies He saw grew with no concerns.

As we’d expect Jesus used the illustration of creation well. This is because He was able to show the joy of creation. This encouraged people not to worry. He was reminding them, and us, that God is in control. 

It’s really hard when faced with difficulty to trust God and not worry, but the readings remind me of the joy of God in creating. Not only this but I am reminded of the difficulties that can come when I don’t trust God. These are the times when I end up seeing everything as a worry.

I have been singing ‘don’t worry, be happy’ in my head. I hope that for the rest of the week and always when I do this, I will remember that God loves me, He loves us all, and we need to turn to our Creator in praise. Don’t worry be happy 🙂