Rev elations

Our reading from Matthew (11:20-end) today begins with Jesus’ strong chastisement of what are called ‘the unrepentant cities’: Chorazin and Bethsaida as well as Capernaum . His words directly relate to the previous passages in which Jesus praises John the Baptist and expresses his frustration at the way the people speak about both him and John; verses 11. 18-19 ‘for John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, he has a demon; the Son of Man came eating and drinking and they say ‘look a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners. Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.’ Jesus’ strong criticism of those who reject both him and John the Baptist is in stark contrast to the second half of our reading in which Jesus prays a prayer of thanksgiving to his Father. In it he praises his Father that his wisdom and truth is revealed to infants; and then Jesus makes a call to those who are weighed down with burdens, offering them an alternative way of life, a way whi...

Did anyone see the Go-between on the BBC last weekend? It is a novel written by L.P. Hartley, in which a 13 year old boy becomes the go-between or messenger for two young lovers. The lovers, who belong to different social classes cannot openly meet, communicate or marry.   The ‘Go-between’ exploits the idea or theme of the innocent messenger, for Leo the young boy, becomes caught up in an affair he doesn’t understand: he is used by the two desperate parties, who exploit his ignorance and willingness to please. He gets too close to their fire and gets burnt. The story reminds us of the dangers of being a messenger. Yet, the Bible is littered with God’s messengers or 'Go-betweens'. How do they fare in contrast to Leo, the child-messenger? Moses is one of the archetypal 'go-betweens' in the Bible - mediating Yahweh’s message to His people, the Israelites. For Moses, the delivery of the message and the negotiation with both the giver of the messages and the receive...

After the Bank Holiday weekend last August, we arrived home as a family from the Greenbelt Christian Arts Festival, to a front garden (and more specifically a front garden hedge) that had been pruned, somewhat enthusiastically, by some helpful parishioners! We were, to say the least, a little taken aback. Where were our beautiful rosehips and our hedge that provided some privacy from the neighbouring cars and residents? All gone!! This summer the beautiful rosehips have flowered again magnificently, thanks to the pruning; but it took us some time to get used to them not being there. It is always hard to cope with things being cut back and things being taken away: what we focus on is what we are losing. But what we need to have eyes to see is- what will be, what will grow in its place. Jesus often used horticultural imagery to describe the kingdom of heaven and in St John’s Gospel, the extended imagery of God as the vine grower is utilised: ‘I am the true vine, and my Father is th...