Rev elations

            You may have noticed people wearing dark glasses in the news recently. They were attempting of course to look at the sun. The great shining light bulb in the sky that we long for and hide from in equal measure. They were waiting for the solar eclipse, when the sun was only visible by its outer rays – when darkness and cold descended during the day. A natural phenomenon that reminds us that we are dependent upon the movement of our planet and the position of the sun and moon for our experience of light and dark, for our experience of time. It was for some a religious experience: an experience of transcendence that reminds us of our dependence upon the created universe. People were awed, shocked, could only exclaim: ‘Oh, my God!’. I’ve been to France for my holidays and whilst there we visited the Bayeux Tapestry. In the tapestry, you can see a drawing of Halley’s comet. It was read as a harbinger of defeat for the upstart Harry. A ...

Mark 15:40-16.8 There were also women looking on from a distance; among them were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joses, and Salome. These used to follow him and provided for him when he was in Galilee; and there were many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem. The Burial of Jesus When evening had come, and since it was the day of Preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath, Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the council, who was also himself waiting expectantly for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate wondered if he were already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him whether he had been dead for some time. When he learned from the centurion that he was dead, he granted the body to Joseph. Then Joseph bought a linen cloth, and taking down the body, wrapped it in the linen cloth, and laid it in a tomb that had been hewn out of the rock. He then rolled a stone a...

Girl in Hammock, Winslow Homer, 1873, from Wikipedia  This is a faithful photographic reproduction of a two-dimensional,  public domain  work of art. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. I am not normally someone who finds it easy to rest or relax; I have a sense that that is true for many people! However, my son received a hammock for his 6 th birthday and it’s been enjoyed by the whole family. We are blessed by having some of the most fantastically beautiful trees in our garden, huge glorious trees, which at the moment, in their varying versions of green and burnt amber are an absolute delight to view from the hammock. Looking upwards from a horizontal position really enables you to breathe in their grandeur and awesomeness in an overwhelming way. Together with the gentle rocking, it really is an experience ...

Sermon for 2nd July Doubting Thomas - Ephesians 2:19-end, John 20:24-29 In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians we see classic Pauline theology in action – Paul is explaining to the Ephesians (Gentiles) that they are fully accepted into the household of God and full members of it. The implication is that they are unsure about their place. Paul is clear that their tradition and history is rooted now not only in the Patriarchs, but also in the Apostles and with Jesus Christ as the corner stone. It is the Apostles in Jesus who invite them to full membership. No longer is holiness and worship centred on the Temple in Jerusalem but, rather, the individual believers are spiritual temples and the group of believers an ‘habitation of God’. Paul, as we know, had been fully committed to his identity as a God-fearing Jew; his life and ritual practice confirmed his sense of superior identity before God. He was saved because of his birth right and due to his strict adherence to the Law. Th...

Last year we gathered together in this church on Civic Sunday just after the results of the EU Referendum. That significant result has changed the course of British history. On the anniversary of that major, seemingly once in a generation event, there have been a series of tragic events which have been incredibly bruising and distressing for the whole country. The terrorist attacks and the appalling Grenfell Tower fire have shaken our country to the core. Not once but three times in so many weeks I found myself gathering on the forecourt with others to mark a minute’s silence for the victims of terror and of course of the fire. We are in a period of history that is proving itself to be particularly fluid, surprising and almost impossible to predict. We are all being tested, none more so than our elected representatives and public servants. For public figures and leaders in our communities, the need for humility, wisdom, and courage has never been greater. Our country needs l...

In the Easter Season we are reminded by Jesus’ words and actions that we have been blessed by God’s Holy Spirit. The Advocate/Comforter or Spirit of Truth as it is also called has been sent by the Father to enable us in our Christian prayer and discipleship. Jesus’ resurrection appearances can only ever be fleeting and temporary – but in them we are promised and given the Holy Spirit. Jesus breathes on the disciples as he brings peace and reconciliation; he returns after his death as a promise and sign of God’s power and victory over death and to empower us with God’s Spirit.  This Thursday is Ascension Day (25th May) the first day of 9 which have been marked out as a time of prayer for the holy spirit. It is a tradition that comes from the Roman Catholic Church and it has been taken up very enthusiastically by our Archbishops as an international movement and encouragement to pray. Last year was the first year that the Archbishops launched #thykingdomcome and promoted the 9 ...

During Holy Week the Gospel readings for the day are taken from John’s Gospel, and one of those is always the story of Mary (Martha’s sister) anointing Jesus’ feet.  She shows her great thanks and appreciation that Jesus has raised her brother Lazarus from the dead by taking a pound of pure costly nard (the fragrance filling the room) and anoints Jesus’ feet and dries them with her hair. It is an act of extravagant thankfulness and generosity. It was extravagance that caused offence. It’s hard to know how much the nard would cost in today’s terms, but a days’ wages is 1 denarii – so 300 denarii is 300 day’s wages. So we’re looking at somewhere near an average salary for the year. In each of the Gospel accounts a different set of people are outraged at the extravagance (in John’s it’s Judas who says the perfume should have been sold and the money given to the poor.  But Jesus is not. He welcomes it – and accepts the spirit in which it was given. I had my own encounter with...