Sunday 17 April 2022

​EASTER DAY

THE END OF THE BEGINNING
For the people of his time, the crucifixion must have meant the end of Jesus.  Crucifixion was a Roman, not a Jewish means of execution, and it was arguably the most barbaric. Few condemned to death in this way could ever hope to survive, even for a short time, so when Jesus died in the afternoon of Good Friday, the people must have thought that they had seen and heard the last of him.  

For those of that outlook, the resurrection was far too good to be true.  The story of the empty tomb was so staggering it simply could not be true.  It must be a hoax or contrived to assuage the grief of Jesus's followers.  Thus, in St. Matthew's Gospel (28:11-15), we find that when some of the guards at the tomb came with this story to the Jewish authorities, the powers-that-be were deeply disturbed, and resolved to put this tale to rest.

In response to the 'empty tomb' rumour, they hatched a devious plan, bribing the guards at the tomb to say that while they slept, Jesus's disciples came and stole the body.  In their frantic attempts to eliminate Jesus, the authorities used all kinds of tactics: treachery to capture him, illegality to try him, and slander to charge him before Pilate.  Now they resorted to bribery to cover up the truth about him, and to smother for good the incredible tale that Jesus had been raised from the dead.

In the two thousand years following, others have sought to do likewise, striving hard to eliminate Jesus from human consciousness.  Some Biblical scholars have even attempted to prove that Jesus never existed, and that the supposed knowledge we have of him is only human invention.  Jesus is either claimed to be a fictional character, or an extraordinary human being around whom there have grown the most amazing, if not unbelievable layers of legend.

The fact remains: it is those who have tried to eliminate Jesus who are now forgotten, while the One who was crucified on Good Friday and raised from the dead on Easter Day has never been forgotten.  All through history, the risen Christ of Easter has made his presence known, both in human lives and in the ordinary course of events.  Even in the Covid world of today,  Jesus is said by many to have been present, especially among the suffering and the sorrowing, and in every circumstance of our time, revealing the power of the love of God for us all - a love that is ultimately stronger than death itself.

When Jesus died, many must have thought that this was the end of him. Perhaps they breathed a sigh of relief that this character was seemingly out of their sight, and would soon have faded from human consciousness.  They were wrong.  It was only the end of the beginning.  That is why we rejoice today with glad and thankful hearts!

A happy, healthy Easter to you all!

Lord of all life and power,
who through the mighty resurrection of your Son
overcame the old order of sin and death
to make all things new in him:
grant that we, being dead to sin
and alive to you in Jesus Christ,
may reign with him in glory;
to whom with you and the Holy Spirit
be praise and honour, glory and might,
now and in all eternity.   Amen.

THE BLESSING

The God of peace,
who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus,
that great shepherd of the sheep,
make us perfect in every good work
   to do his will;
and the blessing of God Almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among us, and remain with us always.   Amen.

Saturday 16 April 2022

EASTER EVE

On this day, Jesus's body lay in the tomb until the resurrection. Jewish law stated that even the body of a criminal must be buried that day.  None of Jesus's relatives could claim the body, as they were all Galileans and did not possess a tomb in Jerusalem.  At this point, the wealthy, and possibly influential Joseph of Arimathea intervened.  He asked Pilate for the body, after which he treated it and cared for it, and placed it in a rock tomb.  Today, we remember all those who have lost their lives during this pandemic and in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, and also their families, friends and loved ones, whom we prayerfully commend to God's care, in the faith that, through Jesus Christ, "death has no more dominion over them."  We remember too our own loved ones, who now see Christ face to face.

(A moment for quiet reflection)

O God, as we come to Easter Eve and think of Jesus in the tomb, grant that we may pass with him through the grave and gate of death, and be reborn to life in joy and everlasting praise; through him who died, was buried, and rose again for us, the same Jesus, our Saviour and Lord.   Amen.

One final point.  Joseph of Arimathea is thought to have been an influential figure: a member of the Sanhedrin and a man of standing in the community.  It is often said that he gave Jesus a tomb, but failed to support him during his life.  Is this not an unfortunate trait in human nature?  It could be said of us that we often fail to support people when they are living, but turn up at their tomb with flowers, tears and other tributes.

Friday 15 April 2022

GOOD FRIDAY: GOD'S VACCINE
"Christ Jesus humbled himself for us; and in obedience accepted death, even death on a Cross."

Following his arrest and trial, Jesus was on this day found guilty of treason and sentenced to death by crucifixion, arguably the most barbaric means of execution devised by the Roman authorities.  At three in the afternoon, at Golgotha (the place of the skull), Jesus died.

This Passiontide, the world is still in the grip of Coronavirus. The media is largely preoccupied with the war in Ukraine, and we have at present no clear sign as to how this will proceed, except that the situation is extremely volatile and dangerous. Nevertheless, as we are regularly reminded, the virus has not gone away, and with the easing of restrictions we have seen a rise in infections and hospital admissions.

Since last year unprecedented progress has been made with the production of vaccines, and with their rolling out across the world in specially-appointed vaccination centres.  The most brilliant minds have created in ten months what would normally take ten years, and we must be profoundly grateful for this scientific endeavour which has made this possible, and given hope in a Covid-ridden age. Booster injections have also helped to tame the virus and help us live more positively with it.

There is another virus which has infected this world, and is known by many names, the traditional name being sin.  Sin means that human nature, while benevolent, is fundamentally flawed and not what it ought to be.  As human beings, we are not what God wills us to be, because sin causes us to 'miss the mark,' and think, speak and act in ways that are far from ideal.  Human effort cannot reverse this condition - this can only be done by God's initiative.

While scientists, researchers and others have brought healing to a Covid-ridden world, God has provided the vaccine for the virus of human sin.  Out of love for us and for the world, God gave the vaccine in the person of his Son Jesus Christ.  On the Cross, God took upon himself the sin of the world, and thus provided the remedy for the human condition.  Jesus Christ is God's vaccine, and remains so in the sinful world of our day.  

This is one of the reasons we can call this day "Good."  And if we believe that sin, however defined, is an outmoded concept, these horrific scenes from Ukraine are a stark reminder that, like Covid-19, this virus has not gone away either.  Only an act of God - the Cross - can deal with sin effectively.

"Inscribed upon the Cross we see
 in shining letters, 'God is love';
 he bears our sins upon the tree;
 he brings us mercy from above."

Thomas Kelly (1769-1855)

O Lord our God, as we come this day before the Cross, with all its suffering and shame, help us to see Jesus Christ as the answer to this world's sin; and by the power of the Holy Spirit, may he ever be for us the example we follow, the master we serve, and the friend to whom we turn, now and all the days of our life.   Amen.

The photograph of the driftwood found on Maybole shore resembles a Cross, if you look at it carefully, and reminds us of the focus of today.

REFLECTIONS FOR HOLY WEEK

Grant us faith, O God, to journey into this holiest
of weeks, assured of the presence of our crucified
and risen Lord, your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ.   
   Amen.

MONDAY
On this day, Jesus visited the Temple in Jerusalem, and cleansed the courts of the money-changers who defiled that holy place.  Today, we ask God in Christ to cleanse our lives of all that is impure and unworthy, that he will make us honest in our dealings with him, and in our dealings with others.  As Colin Morris has said: 'The world belongs to God and will be what we make it.'  Let us make it a place of honest business and virtuous living.

TUESDAY
On this day, Jesus taught in the Temple courts, and spoke the great parables of judgment and salvation.  Today, we ask God in Christ that we not only to listen to our Lord's teaching, but obey it.  As William Barclay said: 'Profession of faith without practice is something of which we are all more or less guilty... It does incalculable harm to the Christian Church... for it produces a faith which cannot do anything else than wither away.'

WEDNESDAY
On this day, Jesus was anointed at Bethany by a woman with a bottle of expensive ointment.  By doing so, she was symbolically anticipating his forthcoming death and burial.  The disciples protested at the waste - the ointment could have been sold and the proceeds given to the poor. Yet Jesus commended this woman for her spontaneous gesture.  Today, we ask God in Christ to give him, not our easiest and cheapest efforts, but only what is best: only what is excellent and costs us something.  As Bishop John Taylor said: 'Only the best is good enough for God.'

MAUNDY THURSDAY
On this day, Jesus met with his disciples in the Upper Room in Jerusalem, washed their feet, gave the New Commandment to love one another, instituted the Holy Supper, and then went to pray in the Garden of Gethsemane.  Today, we ask God in Christ to make love the motive of all that we think, say and do. We pray for our lives to be purged of anger, bitterness and hate, so that the world may be ruled, not by the love of power, but only by the power of love.

Sunday 10 April 2022

A THOUGHT FOR PALM SUNDAY:
JESUS, THE UNEXPECTED ONE!

"When he entered Jerusalem the whole city went wild with excitement."

The short story of Jesus's triumphal entry into Jerusalem on the first Palm Sunday, as recorded in St. Matthew's Gospel (21: 1-11), is a tale of the unexpected.  It was Passover time in Jerusalem, and both the city and the surrounding district were crammed with pilgrims drawn from every place.  As Professor William Barclay says, Jesus entered into a city "surging with people keyed up with religious expectations," and into an atmosphere highly charged with emotion.

The scene was one of a royal welcome and Jesus was received by the crowd like a king.  The people spread their cloaks on the road.  They cut down palm branches (symbols of greatness and victory, often depicted on coins and important buildings) and waved them in the way that we would wave flags at a royal visitor today.  They shouted 'Hosanna!,' which meant 'Save now!' - a cry for help from oppressed people for their rescue and release. Jesus was welcomed into the holy city as a royal personage and hailed as the liberator, saviour and king of his people.

This is a tale of the unexpected.  Within days the whole mood of the city had changed.  The loud 'Hosannas' had become shouts of 'Crucify!'  The cheering turned to jeering, the merriment to mockery, the exaltation to execution.  The trappings of royalty were replaced by an instrument of torture, and the one hailed as a king was now condemned as a criminal.  He came in peace, not in might, and rode on a donkey to press this point.  He came not to destroy but to save; not to condemn but to help; not to use the force of arms, but only the power of sacrificial love.  Jesus did not turn out to be the Messiah, the Anointed Son of God, whom the people had longed for.  The regal reception of Palm Sunday was transformed into the raucous rabble of Good Friday.

In this tale of the unexpected, the people failed to understand the nature of his kingship.  They thought Jesus had come to claim the kingship of the throne: that he would put Israel's enemies to rout, liberate the Jews from Roman rule, and claim the throne of the nation.  Jesus's notion of kingship was radically different. He came to claim the kingship of the heart; and the triumphal entry on Palm Sunday was a final opportunity for people to open their hearts to him, to acknowledge him as saviour and king, and to commit themselves to walking in his way, which was God's way.  Bitter disappointment turned to hate: the only throne for Jesus was a Cross, and the only crown a crown of thorns.

This is not a story of something Jesus did once.  This tale of the unexpected is something Jesus has done all through history, and continues to do today.  Jesus comes and comes again to claim the kingship of the heart: to harness our love, our loyalty and our obedience.  This same Jesus invites us to surrender our very selves to his rule, and to follow in his way, which is God's way.  He does so, often in surprising ways and at the least expected of moments.  The truth remains that Jesus comes to our bruised and battered world, and stands knocking at the door of human hearts, bidding us to acknowledge his rule in our lives.

Are we going to invite Jesus into our lives to remain with us for ever? Or, like many in that fickle crowd on Palm Sunday, are we going to bar the door and reject him?  Jesus Christ, the unexpected one, demands a decision from us!

Most gracious God, as your dear Son entered the holy city on that first Palm Sunday, where he was to suffer and die for our sake, so may our hearts be the place he would enter now, that we may give ourselves to his rule, and enthrone him in our lives as saviour and king; in whose name we pray.  
   Amen.

PRAYERS FOR PALM SUNDAY

Holy God, in this season of pilgrimage,
be merciful and gracious to us:
for like your people of old
we speak the name of Jesus on our lips,
but betray him by our actions.
We claim to be his disciples,
but disregard his teaching, his truth,
and the way of life he revealed to us.
We are eager to receive his blessings,
but reluctant to take the way of the Cross....
Forgive us these and all our sins;
and so let Christ come into our lives,
that we may acknowledge him
as Saviour, Lord, and King;
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.   Amen.

Lord Jesus Christ,
you came to our world as the King of kings
and as Lord of lords,
yet also the servant of all.
As we come to Palm Sunday
and closer to the Cross of Christ,
help us to understand
that real strength lies in weakness,
true greatness in humility,
and perfect freedom in your service
and in the service of others;
to the glory of your name.   Amen.

THE BLESSING


The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit,
be with us all, this Passiontide
and for evermore.   Amen.

Sunday 3 April 2022

LENT 5
THE ANOINTING AT BETHANY

In the Christian Year, the Fifth Sunday of Lent is often known as Passion Sunday, coming from the Latin passio, and meaning 'to suffer.'  From now on, our attention falls on the Cross - that 'wondrous Cross' on which, as Isaac Watts says in his beautiful Passiontide hymn, 'the Prince of Glory died.'

On his journey to Jerusalem, Jesus (now branded an outlaw) came to Bethany, a short distance from the city.  While receiving hospitality, most likely in the home of Martha and Mary, and their brother Lazarus, something sensational happened.  Mary's heart overflowed with love and devotion, her loyalty to Jesus revealed by the pouring of a pound of extremely precious ointment over Jesus's feet, which she then wiped with her hair, filling the whole house with its fragrance.

Judas Iscariot questioned her action, denouncing it as sheer waste, and protesting that this costly perfume might have been sold and the proceeds given to the poor.  Jesus silenced Judas by reminding him that there would always be opportunity to give money to the poor, but any kindness to Jesus had to be shown now, for he would shortly be on the Cross.  "The poor you have always among you, but you will not always have me."  
(St. John 12: 8)

In the culture of the time, this was a scandalous action.  On marriage, a girl's hair was tightly bound, and never again would she be seen in public with her long locks flowing.  In  1st century Palestine this was the sign of an immoral woman. Yet Mary never gave this a thought.  She ignored the taboos of her day and wiped Jesus's feet with her hair.

What we see here is the unselfconscious nature of love and devotion.   Many today are extremely self-conscious about their Christian faith and its expression,  Many are coy about revealing their faith in public, and would hesitate to declare it in such an open, uninhibited manner.  We are often told that all religions, particularly the Christian brand, belong to the private sphere and have no place in public life.  Religious inclinations are deemed to be personal, and must therefore be kept hidden.

As a result of this pressure to remove religion from the public sphere, we may be self-conscious, even guilty and apologetic about our faith, and have concurred with the widely-held view that religious expression is a purely personal matter.

Mary never subscribed to this view.  She seemed untroubled by her actions, showing us how loyalty to Jesus Christ may have a certain unselfconsciousness about it, indeed even a certain extravagance or recklessness.  Mary loved Jesus so much that she let her conscience dictate her actions, not the court of public opinion.

As we come closer to the Cross of Jesus, with all its suffering and shame, we may ask ourselves if Mary is an example we would wish to follow.  Or in this secular, irreligious age, does public opinion hold us firmly in its grip?  Do we regard our own Christian faith and practice as public property or as a private possession?

O God, as we remember the anointing of Jesus at Bethany, help us to give him only our costliest gifts, and to show him our love and devotion according to conscience and conviction, and never according to public opinion; through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

A PRAYER FOR THIS WEEK

O God, as we come to Passiontide,
we confess how guilty we are of the very sins 
that drove Jesus to the Cross....
Help us to nail to your dear Son's Cross
the devious thoughts of the mind,
the wrong desires of the heart,
the cruel words of the tongue,
and the ill-employment of our ways,
that we may grow again in grace,
and much more into the likeness of him
who by his death and precious blood
has redeemed the world,
Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

PRAYERS FOR PASSIONTIDE

O God, by the death and resurrection
of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ,
you have delivered and saved mankind.
Grant that the Church, which is his body,
may glory in his Cross alone,
and that your people may acknowledge Christ
in their lives, as with their lips....
Lord, hear our prayer.

O God, in whose will is our peace:
as we live in a world sore wounded,
where so many innocent still suffer,
grant to us and to people everywhere
a genuine desire for lasting peace
and the courage to attain it,
that by the reconciling power of the Cross,
the perfect day may come
when none shall hurt or destroy....
Lord, hear our prayer.

O God, whose blessed Son entered into glory
but only by the shameful way of the Cross:
as Passiontide begins, we now pray for those
who are compelled to bear heavy burdens,
in their hearts, and in their lives,
remembering before you those known to us
and loved by us who need our prayers
and your blessing at this time....
Strengthen them by your Holy Spirit
to face their burden courageously,
to accept it hopefully and cheerfully,
and to carry it patiently at all times,
for Jesus Christ our Saviour's sake....
Lord, hear our prayer.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the 
beginning, is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.   Amen.

THE BLESSING

May Christ enable us to grow in grace,
and to take up our cross and follow him.
And the blessing of God Almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be upon us, and remain with us always.   Amen.

Sunday 27 March 2022

LENT 4
MOTHERING SUNDAY

The origins of Mothering Sunday are obscure and open to different explanations.  The consensus is that Mothering Sunday, midway through the penitential season of Lent, started in the 16th century as a religious festival, with no connection to mothers or motherhood.  

It became a tradition that, on the fourth Sunday of Lent, people would return to their "mother church," perhaps the family church or the one in which they were baptised, for a special thanksgiving service.  This meant that families were reunited as adults returned to the towns and villages in which they had been brought up.  In other words, Mothering Sunday was a day of pilgrimage.

In time, a further development took place, when young people, often working in large country houses as domestic servants, were given the day off, and an opportunity to reunite with their loved ones, as well as attend their "mother church."  Whatever the origins of Mothering Sunday, even though celebrated as Mother's Day, it has no connection with the American festival of that name, inspired by Anna Maria Jarvis's efforts to establish Mother's Day in 1913.

Mothering Sunday is also known as Refreshment Sunday, because on that day, midway through Lent, the strict fasting rules were relaxed, and the eating of some food permitted.  The origins of Mothering Sunday, however, are still the subject of enquiry.

What might we think about on Mothering Sunday?

Firstly, before Jesus was arrested and put to death on the Cross (which is what Lent is leading up to), Jesus gave his disciples one final command:  "Love one another," he said.  "Love one another, as I have loved you."  What Jesus asked of his followers was that love, not self, would be the motive behind everything they did.  Jesus insisted that love must be the driving-force of all that we do, and that we must always strive to secure the wellbeing of others, before seeking our own satisfaction.  Today, on Mothering Sunday, we may think carefully about the divine command to "love one another."   One observer has said that our age is "utterly disrespectful and heartless," where self comes first and where aggression, rather than compassion, is so dominant  We need to rediscover the significance of this great commandment and how to apply it in a 21st century context.

Secondly, we may remember and give thanks today for the unfailing love of God himself, whose mercies endure for ever, and are new every morning.  The love of God is expressed in many ways: in the beauty of the earth, the air, the sky and the sea; in the blessings of family life; in the joy of friends; in the face of a new-born animal or child; and in "all things bright and beautiful" in God's garden of creation.  Today, on Mothering Sunday, we may carefully reflect on the love of God himself - a love supremely revealed in the life and death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. 

Timothy Rees (1874-1939), a Welsh clergyman, penned these opening lines of a well-known hymn:

"God is love: let heaven adore him;
 God is love: let earth rejoice."

Today, let us rejoice that God is love, and that on a Cross, we see how God loves us to the utmost.

Mothering Sunday is now a popular social festival.  As we recall Mothering Sunday in its original context, however, let this day be a celebration, not only of motherhood and family life, but a celebration of love - both human and divine.

Gracious God, as we celebrate Mothering Sunday, 
help us to remember and give thanks for the love,
which, from or birth, over and around us lies; and 
for your love, revealed in the world around us, and
supremely in him who is the King of love, our Lord
and Saviour Jesus Christ.   Amen.

PRAYERS FOR MOTHERING SUNDAY

Heavenly Father, we thank you for making us 
in our baptism members of your worldwide family 
the Church, and for our brothers and sisters in 
every land who love the Lord Jesus.  Keep us
loyal to one another, faithful to our promises, and
busy in your service, for Jesus Christ's sake.   Amen.

From:  Frank Colquhoun, Contemporary Parish Prayers,
                         London 1975, 38

God of compassion,
whose Son Jesus Christ, the child of Mary,
shared the life of a home in Nazareth,
and on the cross
  drew the whole human family to himself:
strengthen us in our daily living
that in joy and in sorrow
we may know the power of your presence
to bind together and to heal;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.   Amen.

O Lord our God, as at this time we recall 
the precious sufferings of your Son upon
the cross, bless all those who suffer today,
or are in any kind of affliction; and give to
each healing and wholeness, and the gift
of life in all its fullness; through him whose
love never falters or fades, Jesus Christ our
Lord, alive for evermore.   Amen.

THE BLESSING

Christ give us grace to grow in holiness,
to deny ourselves,
take up our cross, and follow him;
and the blessing of God Almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among us, and remain with us always.   Amen.

Sunday 20 March 2022

LENT 3
OUR MERCIFUL GOD

One frustration of modern life is the massive growth in bureaucracy. Over the years, rules and regulations have multiplied in such a way that many now believe our liberties are increasingly curtailed, if not permanently endangered or eroded.

The same circumstances prevailed in Jesus's day.  Like our culture, his was riddled with 'red tape', and a litany of rules and regulations, ranging from the worship of God to the materials from which clothing had to be made.  Jewish law was laden with rules that were a burden, a 'yoke' to the ordinary citizen.  The regulations governing the Sabbath were particularly strict. No work was to be undertaken, and every effort had to be made to keep the Sabbath sacrosanct.

In St. Luke's Gospel (13: 10-17), we find Jesus in a synagogue. By this time in his ministry, the authorities were seeking to trap him at the first opportunity, and they did not need to wait long to do so.  Jesus healed a crippled woman on the Sabbath, who had suffered from a back ailment for eighteen years.  By doing this, Jesus had undertaken a form of work, thereby breaching the strict legal code that forbade all work on the holiest of days. The watching crowd rejoiced, while the authorities cringed.

This incident reveals God as a God of 'mercy.'  There are certain circumstances that call for a 'merciful,' rather than a strictly legalistic approach.  There are times when kindness, compassion and understanding must take priority over the demands of a moral or legal code, and when human beings must be treated as people who bear God's image, deserving a sense of dignity and worth.  

If Jesus Christ (as we believe) embodies the nature and character of God, then our God is 'merciful' in his dealings with his people.  This was grasped by Old Testament writers, such as the author of Psalm 103, who affirmed that: 'The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love.'  In an age where systems of regulation are said to dehumanise, Jesus provides a picture of a God whose 'mercy' surpasses all the restrictions that even the finest minds have devised.

In 2016, Pope Francis wrote a little book with the title, The Name of God Is Mercy, in which he shared anecdotes about God's grace and love at work in the lives of his parishioners in Argentina, and in the lives of others known personally to him. His conclusion is that we must see 'mercy' as "the first attribute of God," and that God "does not want anyone to be lost."

As we move further into Lent, we may think carefully about 'mercy' and its application today in appropriate circumstances, and so be among the 'merciful' to whom our Lord has promised a blessing.

"Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy."

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

O God, in a broken and divided world, grant us
the spirit of mercy, that we may always look on 
others with compassion, just as you loved us so 
much that you gave your only Son for us, our
Saviour Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray.  
     Amen.

A PRAYER FOR THIS WEEK

Merciful God, in whom we live and move
and have our being: as we pass through 
these holy days of Lent, take this world 
into your care and keeping:  bless your
Church with a rekindled faith, and the nations
with your peace; take our lives, and let them
be consecrated to your service; and as this
pandemic continues, give healing, health and
wholeness to all of us; and when our days
are over and our work done, lead us through
the heavenly gate to live with you for ever;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

A PRAYER FOR LENT

Thanks be to thee, O Lord Christ,
for all the benefits that thou hast given us;
for all the pains and insults which thou
hast borne for us.

O most merciful redeemer,
friend and brother,
may we know thee more clearly,
love thee more dearly,
and follow thee more nearly;
for thine own sake.   Amen.

Richard of Chichester 1197-1253

THE BLESSING

May the love of the Lord Jesus draw us to himself;
may the power of the Lord Jesus
strengthen us in his service;
may the joy of the Lord Jesus fill our souls;
and may the blessing of God Almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be with us and abide with us always.   Amen.

Sunday 13 March 2022

LENT 2
WHO IS JESUS CHRIST?

These days the question of identity has assumed a new significance.  There has arisen in recent years a new emphasis on national identity, while personal identity, and the need to prove who we are, is crucial in protecting our security.  It is said that identity theft has grown into something akin to a national industry.

In St. Matthew's Gospel (16: 13-20), the question of Jesus's identity is taken up with all due seriousness.  Jesus was in the northern town of Caesarea Philippi, and at this point in his ministry, the Cross loomed and his time was short.  The problem Jesus now faced was one of identity.  Was there anyone who understood him?  Was there anyone who recognised him and saw the true nature of his work and person?

Jesus chose to put the question of his identity to the test, and at Caesarea Philippi asked his followers who people thought he was.  "Who do people say the Son of Man is?"  They said he was seen as John the Baptist; or Elijah, or Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.  Then Jesus turned to the disciples.  "And you, who do you say that I am?"  Perhaps after a stunned silence, Simon Peter provided the answer.  "You are the Messiah, the Anointed One, the Son of the living God!"

In these thoughtful days of Lent, we too may reflect on Jesus's identity.  We could acknowledge Jesus as a gifted preacher, a brilliant teacher, a charismatic leader, a storyteller, and a miracle worker.  We could also see Jesus as a bit of a rebel or a renegade, as well as a man of high moral and religious principles.  Can we say with St. Paul that God was in Christ?  Do we recognise Jesus of Nazareth as a human being who embodied the mind and character of God?  Or do we dismiss him as a folk hero, well-suited to our celebrity-driven culture?

The Christian faith depends on how we perceive Jesus's identity.  The way we live as Christians depends on whether we see Jesus as someone of passing interest or eternal significance.  If we accept Jesus as a mere mortal and nothing more, Christianity is reduced to an attractive social and moral creed.

Who is Jesus Christ?  This is a question we must answer, and we must make up our own minds.  We may know what others have said about Jesus.  We may have read the great books, listened to the great preachers, and studied the Gospels carefully and critically, and so feel confident in our knowledge and understanding.  But Jesus still demands a verdict as to his identity, just as he demanded one from the disciples at Caesarea Philippi.

As we move further into Lent, let us ponder Jesus's question in our minds.  "And you, who do you say that I am?"  Perhaps it is only through our experience of Jesus in the world, and in our own lives, that we can say with Simon Peter that he is the Messiah, the Son of the Living God, the One who makes God real and present to us.

Who is Jesus Christ?  How would you answer that question?

O God, our heavenly Father, help us in this 
Lenten season to re-discover the true identity 
of Jesus, and to see him not as a mere mortal,
but as the Messiah, your anointed one; in whose
name we pray.   Amen.

PRAYERS FOR LENT

Almighty and merciful God,
you are more ready to hear than we to pray,
and you give more
than either we desire or deserve.
Pour down upon us
the abundance of your mercy.
Forgive us those things
of which our conscience is afraid,
and grant us those good things
which we are not worthy to ask,
save through the merits and mediation
of Jesus Christ, your Son, our Saviour.   Amen.

Holy God,
bring us to the cross of Jesus,
that we may find salvation.
Help us to know our sins and to repent of them.
Give us your pardon and peace in our hearts;
and on the day of judgement,
show us your mercy;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

From:   Common Order (Church of Scotland),
             Edinburgh 1994, 459-60

A PRAYER FOR THIS WEEK

O God, as we pass through Lent and look at
all that is amiss around us, grant to the world
your peace; to our nation, your blessing; to
the needy, your compassion; to the sick, the
suffering, and the sorrowing, your healing;
and to us and to all your people, that love
divine which never falters or fades; through
Jesus Christ, your Son, our Saviour.   Amen.

THE BLESSING

May the grace of Christ attend us,
the love of God surround us,
the Holy Spirit keep us,
this Lent and always..   Amen.

Sunday 6 March 2022

LENT 1
THE POWER OF TEMPTATION

The First Sunday of Lent traditionally explores the theme of 'temptation,' recalling the story in St. Matthew's Gospel (4: 1-11), where Jesus spent forty days and forty nights in the wilderness, and where he was sorely tempted by the devil.

Temptation is a powerful force in society and we are all familiar with it.  It has been described as a subtle, luring force, which entices someone to do something unwise or completely wrong.  We use this word in our everyday speech, in phrases such as "money is always a temptation," or "the menu contained many temptations," or "the temptations of the city were overwhelming."  In a religious context, 'temptation' is the strong, seductive inclination to sin, and to do what is expressly forbidden.

According to the Biblical narrative, Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.  This wilderness was hostile territory, situated between Jerusalem and the Dead Sea.  The Biblical scholar, George Adam Smith, who had crossed over it, described it as a vast area of yellow sand, with hills resembling dust-heaps, and rocks jagged and bare - glowing and shimmering with heat like a vast furnace. It was in this environment that Jesus was 'tempted' or 'tested' by the devil during a six-week period of intense inner struggle.

Jesus was tempted firstly to turn stones into bread, and so bribe people into following him.  When Jesus refused, the devil came to him again, urged him to go up to the pinnacle of the Temple in Jerusalem, leap down, and land unscathed in the valley beneath.  Jesus refused to gather his followers by performing a stunt.  Finally, the devil offered Jesus all the nations of the world, if only he would give up the worship of God and worship the devil alone.  Once again, the devil was rebuked and silenced, before leaving him.

There is a clear message for us from this story.  We should always be aware of the need for vigilance: "eternal vigilance is the price of freedom."  With the current Russia-Ukraine conflict, and its horrific consequences, we need to rediscover the fundamental importance of vigilance - internationally, nationally and personally.  In the Christian life, there is no immunity from 'temptation' or 'testing.'  There is nothing that can inoculate the Christian soul against an assault from the 'temper.'   Indeed, Oscar Wilde, the Irish poet and playwright, has said: "The only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it."

There are, of course, Christians who strongly believe that they ought to be above and beyond this, and that 'temptation' is a sure and certain sign of weakness and a lack of faith.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  Jesus Christ himself never reached this stage of perfection, and all through his ministry had to wrestle with the tempter's charming power.

At Caesarea Philippi, the tempter once again came to Jesus, when Peter tried to talk him out of going to the Cross.  In the lovely Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus had to fight a battle with temptation, when the tempter tried to dissuade him from doing the will of God, and so avoid the horrors of Calvary.  After his lengthy struggle in the wilderness, Jesus had not finished his encounters with the tempter.

This is indeed good news for us.  Because Jesus was 'tempted' in all things, as we are, yet remained obedient and without sin, so he can strengthen us in our own encounters with 'temptation,' of which there are many in the journey of life. When 'temptations' come our way, we may be certain that Jesus understands and sympathises with our struggle, and our predicament as to whether we resist or succumb.

As we recall our Lord's temptations in the wilderness on this First Sunday of Lent, may his victory over the devil's power inspire us when we feel the tempter's charm, or hear the tempter's voice, and keep us unstained as we choose to go God's way!

Most holy God, righteous and merciful,
when temptation urges us to do something unwise
or wrong, may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin,
help us to resist that subtle voice, that luring charm,
that cunning force, and foil the tempter's power;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

PRAYERS FOR LENT

Almighty God, our heavenly Father,
your Son battled with the powers of darkness,
and grew closer to you in the desert:
help us to use these days to grow in wisdom
   and prayer,
that we may witness to your saving love
in Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

Gracious God, rich in mercy,
as we enter this holy season of Lent,
   of your goodness, give us;
   of your love, inspire us;
   of your Spirit, guide us;
and in your mercy, keep us
   now and always;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

THE BLESSING

God be with us in this season;
forgive our sins, restore our souls,
   and renew our lives.

And the blessing of God Almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among us this Lent, and remain with us
   always.   Amen.

Wednesday 2 March 2022

​ASH WEDNESDAY
THE BEGINNING OF LENT

This is Ash Wednesday, a Christian observance that marks the beginning of the Lenten season.  During Lent, Christians prepare themselves for the solemn remembrance of Christ's death on the Cross.  The imposition of ashes is an ancient practice, found in the Old Testament, and is a reminder of our own mortality - something to which many people nowadays pay little or no attention.

The Lenten season has always been associated with the expression of penitence, or repentance.  In the Bible, we read that penitents covered their faces in ashes and tore their garments as a sign of their contrition.  This custom is strange to our minds, but is well-attested in Scripture, and particularly in the Old Testament.  Furthermore, early in St. Mark's Gospel (1: 15), Jesus's "inaugural address" is seen as a clarion call to repentance.

"The time has arrived; the kingdom of God is upon you.
      Repent, and believe the gospel."

In a sermon in Glasgow Cathedral in 1984, the preacher raised the subject of repentance, and stressed the need for Christians to be aware of their sins and shortcomings, and seek God's grace and forgiveness.  He also argued that people today are so self-assured  that they believe there is nothing of which they need to repent.  

On this Ash Wednesday, we may think carefully about all that is amiss in our lives, and ask for God's forgiveness, lest we become like those who, trusting in their own self-righteousness, are convinced that they have nothing of which to be ashamed, and therefore have no need for repentance.  

For none is further from God than the 'unco guid,' wrapped up in their own self-appointed goodness.

"If you have behaved badly, repent, make what amends
you can and address yourself to the task of behaving better
next time."  (Aldous Huxley)

A PRAYER FOR ASH WEDNESDAY

Almighty and everlasting God,
you hate nothing that you have made
and forgive the sins of all those who are truly penitent:
create and make in us new and contrite hearts
that we, worthily lamenting our sins
and acknowledging our wretchedness,
may receive from you, the God of all mercy,
perfect remission and forgiveness;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.   Amen.

THE BLESSING

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit,
be with us all, this Lent
and for evermore.   Amen.

Sunday 27 February 2022

THE SUNDAY NEXT BEFORE LENT:
THE TRANSFIGURATION

When there is a snowfall, the Arran hills are a sight to behold.  Formed through glaciation, these rugged peaks, separated by beautiful valleys cut into the rock, stand out on the landscape, especially when the snow is illuminated by a blazing sun. The view across the Clyde is breathtaking.

In St. Matthew's Gospel (17:1-8), we have what has been called ''a mountaintop experience."  Jesus and his three disciples, Peter, James, and John, went up a mountain (Mount Sinai?) to pray.  Once there, Jesus underwent a spiritual experience, so intense that his whole appearance altered.

We are told that his face shone like the sun, and that his clothes became a brilliant white.  Rays of light engulfed him, so blinding that Peter, James and John fell on their knees.  On top of that mountain, the human Jesus was completely transformed, or transfigured, by becoming clothed with the radiance of God himself.  

This led him to come down the mountain and carry on God's work of healing with new energy and resilience.

When we become clothed with the divine light, when we are transformed and transfigured through faith in Christ, we too take on a radiant and serene nature - something through which we can bring light to others, as well as ourselves, in our dark moments,  During this pandemic, countless professionals and others have brought a radiance, a serenity and a new sense of hope in the most difficult circumstances, giving much-needed
healing and wholeness to broken lives.

Psychologists tell us that a radiant person is a healthy one. The one who 'shines,' who shows joy and vitality, and faces life with a radiant attitude of mind, is said to be a healthy soul, and an inspiration to others.  William James, the American philosopher, psychologist and physician (Harvard University), argued in his famous book, The Varieties of Religious Experience, that some  (Christian) people are irrepressibly happy - the 'healthy-minded' - while others not so gifted are the 'morbid-minded' or 'sick souls.'  The 'healthy-minded,' he claims, have a radiance that is second to none.  Not all people have this gift, but by faith in God through Jesus Christ we may, as we grow in holiness, acquire this radiance and serenity.

With the recent invasion of Ukraine, and not knowing how serious crisis will evolve, we need a measure of radiance and serenity in a world that is becoming more dangerous every day, bringing light and hope where these are fading.

As we approach Lent, which begins this week on Ash Wednesday, may we be so transformed and transfigured that we shine as beacons of light in an age that so urgently needs it, and continue God's healing work with new energy and resilience.

O God, as your Son, our Saviour Christ, was transfigured on a mountaintop, after which he shone with your glory, so may we be changed into his glorious likeness, and shine with the radiance that comes only from you; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

PRAYERS AS WE APPROACH LENT

Almighty and ever-living God,
by whose grace we come to this new day,
your holy day, your gift to us:
as we approach the season of Lent,
help us to search our hearts
and examine our ways,
that we may truly be your people,
seeking first your kingdom
and working and praying for its coming;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

Most holy and most righteous God,
before whom our lives are laid open:
as we approach the season of Lent
rescue us from the chaos of sin,
and through the death of your dear Son
bring us healing and make us whole
in Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

A PRAYER FOR PEACE
(In light of the situation in Ukraine)

Eternal God, in whose perfect kingdom
no sword is drawn but the sword of righteousness
and no strength known but the strength of love:
at this time of international tension,
and at this most serious moment 
in modern European history,
we pray for the leaders of the world,
that they may know and pursue
the things that belong to their peace.
We pray for a peaceful resolution
to the Russia-Ukraine crisis, and for peace
in other places where conflicts prevail.
May your holy peace possess our hearts,
and hasten the coming of the day
when none shall hurt or destroy;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

THE BLESSING

Grace, mercy, and peace,
from God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
be among us, and remain with us always.
   Amen.

Sunday 20 February 2022

GAMALIEL: 
THE LEAST LIKELY ALLY

Who are our friends?  More specifically, who are our true friends?  Quite often it is only in a time of need or crisis that our true friends make themselves known.  We may need care or comfort, reassurance or support, or inspiration and encouragement, and the one who provides what we require is the least likely to do so.  To our delight and surprise, the one who comes to our assistance is the least likely of allies.

According to the Book of Acts (5: 27-42), this was the experience of the apostles.  After a period in prison, the apostles have been brought once more before the Sanhedrin - the Supreme Jewish Court, having disobeyed them by preaching, teaching and healing in the name of Jesus Christ.  Their defence is not helped by Peter, acting as spokesman.  When questioned by the High Priest, and in a powerful speech, Peter accuses the powers-that-be of having put Jesus to death on the Cross: "The God of our fathers raised up Jesus; after you had put him to death by hanging him on a gibbet." (5: 30)  The apostles are now seen as disturbers of the peace and are arrested again.

At their second Court appearance, however, the apostles discover a most unlikely ally.  While they could have faced the severest penalties, there comes forward a man called Gamaliel, who proves to be a friend in their time of need.  Gamaliel was a least likely ally.  He was a Pharisee, an 'establishment' man, highly respected and greatly trusted.  Citing the example of two people (Theudas and Judas) who, in the past, had caused uprisings that had come to nothing, Gamaliel argued that if the apostles' teaching was 'fake news,' it would result in nothing and fade away.  If, however, their mission was God-sanctioned, the Court might find itself fighting with God himself!  What Gamliel did was to plead that the apostles were given one more chance to show if their mission was genuine or false.

The Court listened intently to what Gamaliel had to say.  It was persuaded by him and accepted his judgment.  The apostles received one more warning, and after a flogging were set free.  Gamaliel, the least likely of people, became the apostles' ally, proving to be a trusted friend when their very lives hung in the balance.  In this highly-charged situation, he became 'the voice of moderation' the voice of reason, of common sense.  In sensitive circumstances, which so easily could have spun out of control, Gamaliel responded in a rational and logical way.

We need Gamaliel today.  Like first-century Palestine, our world is an extremely volatile place.  There are rebellions here, there and everywhere, and at this very moment, there is heightened tension between Russia and the Ukraine - a situation that could so quickly get out of control and develop into a full-scale war in Europe.  There is scarcely a country not infected by unrest and disorder, and the 'voice of moderation,' which might bring about a measure of reconciliation, is rarely heard and heeded.  In our age of sharply contrasting opinions, often passionately expressed, we need a Gamaliel to encourage us to think and act rationally, and allow moderation and reason to prevail.  It is now the practice to express opinions in the most aggressive manner, rather than a Christ-like way.  This is a feature of television and press interviews, and of our legislatures, where differing views are often aggressively exchanged, and all sense of moderation disappears.  Where is the 'middle ground' in public debate today?

In their hour of need, Gamaliel proved to be the apostles' least likely ally.  In our own times of trial and tribulation, it is often the least likely of people who come to our assistance and thereby show themselves to be our true friends.  In the world's misfortunes  today, we need those who incarnate the spirit of Gamaliel.  He was a man of greatly trusted reputation who risked his whole integrity for the sake of the apostles, and spoke on their behalf with wise moderation and common sense.  

Today, Gamaliel is every person who speaks in a rational, sensible manner.  Today, Gamaliel is every person who brings the 'voice of moderation' to sensitive circumstances. Today, Gamaliel is that builder of bridges, that reconciler and responsible thinker who can cut through the minefield of emotion and bring about peace and stability.  In this respect, 
he is an honourable example to follow - so that we too may become the world's least likely ally.

"God is spirit; and those who worship him
must worship in spirit and in truth."

PRAYERS FOR THE DAY

Father of everlasting grace,
as the new day dawns and morning light
fills the sky, and fills our lives,
may this day be one of worship,
praising your name in spirit and in truth.
Take from our hearts the strain and stress
of our sins and shortcomings, and enable us
freely to accept your generous forgiveness
for our past mistakes, and for our present folly.
May we see this day and the coming week
as your precious gifts to us, and use them
only for your glory, and for the wellbeing of others;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord.   Amen.

O God, into whose loving care
we commit ourselves this day:
as we gently pass through its hours,
teach us what we ought to know;
tell us what we ought to do;
and make us what we ought to be;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

O Christ, our only Saviour,
as we come to this day
and to the gate of another week,
so come and dwell within us
that we may go forth
with the light of hope in our eyes,
with the lamp of faith in our hearts,
with a song of praise on our lips,
and with your love aglow in our hearts;
for your dear name's sake.   Amen.

A GENERAL PRAYER

Almighty God, whose we are and whom we seek to serve:
as we remember today your servant Gamaliel, may his
voice of common sense and moderation speak to our
world, to our Church and nation, to our communities,
and to our very selves; that in every circumstance of
life, and where sensitivity is needed, we may bring only
balanced and sound judgment, and so be a stepping-stone
and never a stumbling-block; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
   Amen.

THE BLESSING

Lord, dismiss us with your blessing;
and may our lives radiate light and life,
moderation, reason, and common sense
in a deeply divided world.

And the blessing of God Almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among us now, and remain with us always.   AMEN.

Sunday 13 February 2022

STILLNESS AND QUIETNESS:
THE NEED OF OUR TIME

One of the most difficult offices in Parliament must be that of Speaker.  Not only has the Speaker to ensure that Parliamentary procedures are correct, but they must also see that debates are carried out according to the prescribed order, and that fairness, firmness and  impartiality are strictly applied.  With recent rowdy scenes, this must have been more challenging, with the Speaker often struggling to be heard above a noisy din. That said, however, we live in a world of noise, and where stillness and quietness are rare virtues.

Towards the end of Psalm 46, the writer urges his readers to "Let be," or "Be still," so that they will come to know more of God's nature.  The Psalmist was aware that amidst the conflict and unrest of his day, there was a desperate need for "stillness," and for peace and calm at the heart of life.  In that "stillness," in the peace and calm of doing nothing, the Divine (God) would make clearer contact with his people.

Jesus was also well aware of the need for stillness and quietness.  In St. Mark's Gospel (6: 6-13 and 30-32), we discover that when the apostles had joined Jesus after a hectic mission of preaching, teaching and healing, Jesus urged them to leave their work and accompany him to "rest awhile" in a quiet place.  Time and time again, Jesus withdrew to a lonely location: to think, to meditate, to pray, and to experience "stillness" and "quietness" in a busy, demanding life.

Someone once asked: "Why doesn't life obey the speed limit?"  We live in a noisy world.  Everywhere we turn there is noise of some description.  Not only is the world noisy.  Our age is one of sustained pressure and busyness,  which throws people into a whirlwind of activity.  The irony is that human minds have manufactured the most incredible time-saving devices - gadgets that even allow us to pay a cheque into the bank without leaving the armchair.  Yet somehow we seem to have less time than ever before.  As a society, our foot is pressed hard on the accelerator, and even the spare time we have is whittled away faster than we can save it.  Little wonder prayers for stressed commuters have appeared on the London Underground.

John Pritchard, a former Bishop of Oxford, says that "Life should get a speeding ticket," or at least go on a speed awareness course.  Perhaps our constant busyness has something to do with this.  We need to cultivate "stillness" and "quietness" in a disciplined way, and thereby safeguard our physical, emotional and spiritual health.

To some extent, our society is aware of this.  For example, pilgrimages, with their emphasis on "stillness" and "quietness," have never been so popular.  Once dismissed as medieval, the pilgrimage has become fashionable in modern times, as evidenced by the thousands who have taken the well-worn path to Santiago de Compostela in Northern Spain.  Retreats have also become popular, even within the Reformed tradition, with regular "quiet days" on Iona, or at the Cairngorms Christian Centre on Speyside.  And in major bookshops, there are shelves laden with books on how to relax and appreciate quietness which, even if not specifically Christian or religious, point to a longing for "stillness" and "quietness" in daily life.

A few years ago, the Leeds branch of a well-known building society started an experiment, whereby the last hour of business each Wednesday would highlight "stillness" and "quietness."  All lights would be dimmed, and advertisements on LCD screens would be stopped.  Telephone ringing tones would be set at "low," and, perhaps most important of all, background music would be cut out.  In doing this, the business was not only seeking to assist customers with hearing and other challenges, but to create an atmosphere of calm and composure within the Leeds branch and some of its other stores.  

The need for "stillness" and "quietness" is overwhelming, and Scripture recognises this.  Centuries ago the German mystic and spiritual writer, Meister Eckhart, said: "Nothing in all creation is so like God - as stillness."  As we approach Lent, a season set apart for self-examination, let us cultivate by God's grace the art of "stillness" and "quietness" in our lives, and so discover more of the Divine Power, the Divine Presence and the Divine Peace!

"Be still, for the presence of the Lord,
the Holy One, is here."


Eternal God and Father,
in whose presence we find rest and peace:
as we come to you now,
may we be cleansed and strengthened
by your Holy Spirit,
and serve you with a quiet mind;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

PRAYERS FOR THE DAY

Almighty and ever-living God,
whose gift to us is this new day,
with its opportunities of pleasing you:
as this day enfolds us and surround us,
be in our speaking and in our thinking;
be in our life and on our lips;
be in our hearts and in our souls;
today and for ever.   Amen.

Lord, set your blessing on us
as we begin this day together.
Take from our souls the strain
and stress of our daily living,
and let our ordered lives express
the beauty of your peace;
today and for ever.   Amen.

A GENERAL PRAYER

O Lord our God, may the peace and 
stillness which only you can give,
come and spread through our Church, 
our world, our country and community,
bringing peace to every place,
to every home, and to every heart.
May your peace, which passes
all our understanding, keep our
hearts and minds in Christ Jesus,
now and for evermore.   Amen.

THE BLESSING

May the love of the Father enfold us,
the wisdom of the Son enlighten us,
the fire of the Spirit inflame us;
and may the blessing of God rest upon us
and abide with us, now and evermore.   Amen.

Sunday 6 February 2022

ACCESSION SUNDAY
THE GIFT OF CHRISTIAN SERVICE

This is a unique day in the history of our country.  For the first time, a reigning monarch can celebrate a Platinum Jubilee - seventy years on the throne.  On 6th February 1952, the young Princess Elizabeth succeeded her father King George VI while staying at Treetops in the Aberdare National Park, some sixty miles north of Nairobi in Kenya.  At the age of twenty-one, and speaking from South Africa, Princess Elizabeth had already decided that whether her life be long or short, it would be devoted to the service of all peoples within her charge, and we can only imagine the high sense of responsibility placed on her as she became Queen.  While Prime Ministers and politicians have come and gone, the Queen remains monarch after seventy years and has fulfilled her commitment to public service magnificently.

Christianity is founded on faith and service.  In his Letter to the Romans (12: 1-11), the apostle St. Paul Paul implores his readers to give their whole lives to God's service: to offer and present themselves as "a living sacrifice," and to serve their community in a Christlike way.  Each Christian is urged to use their particular gifts for the benefit of the whole, and are called to "love in all sincerity."  This love is to be expressed in mutual affection, and by undertaking service to the community with kindness and in a cheerful spirit.  St. Paul  concludes with these words: "With unflagging zeal, aglow with the Spirit, serve the Lord." (Romans 12: 11)

In St. Luke's Gospel (22: 24-30), we have a story that affirms service as a bedrock of true Christianity.  Jesus tells his disciples that the rulers of the Gentiles love to lord it over their subjects, and be fawned over and obeyed.  The Christian focus is completely different.  The Christian way is one of service, as Jesus himself is the servant of others.  "I stand among you like a servant," he proclaims. (St. Luke 22: 27)  In the Gospels, we see Jesus serving over and over again.  The crowds press round him and he brings healing to those who need it.  He teaches and preaches in all kinds of locations at all kinds of gatherings - an exhausting process, causing him on occasion to retreat to a quiet place.  

This is something even those closest to him fail to understand.  Some of the disciples are quarrelling about who is the greatest among them, while James and John are bold enough to ask for places of glory in heaven.  They are unable to think of "a servant Jesus," and to appreciate that our Lord came not to be served, but to serve, and ultimately to lay down his life in his service to mankind.

The public ministry of Jesus is "a ministry of service."  And self-giving service is what the world needs today.  We can build our lives on getting or giving.  By getting means that our lives are shaped by self-interest; by self-giving means that our lives are shaped by kindness, generosity and grace, and we will receive the rewards of human friendship and God's blessing.  The world today needs service, and the person who devotes their life to service will rise high and gain the wholehearted respect of their fellow human beings.  

For the Christian today, service is not an option but a sacred duty.  During this pandemic, we have seen outstanding service from the medical, scientific and other communities, and also from countless souls who have served their neighbours in a true Christian spirit.  Our world, our country, our community would be a much happier place if service was a cornerstone of our living.  The Church must be a serving Church, a caring Church, a Church that reaches out to the least likely of people and places.  In 2012 the Queen herself paid tribute to the Church's service to others at a meeting of faith group leaders in London, saying that religious groups "remind us of the responsibilities we have beyond ourselves."

On the doorway of a hospital in India, there is the following inscription of unknown authorship:   
"Service is the rent we pay for a room on earth."  There are various versions of the text, but it remains a truth for Christian and non-Christian alike.  As we remember our Queen's accession to the throne seventy years ago today, and give thanks for her commitment to the Christian faith and for her exemplary commitment to duty and public service, let the Christ who came, not to be served, but to serve, be an example to all of us in our own ministry of service to him and to others.

As St. Paul so aptly puts it: "With unflagging zeal, aglow with the Spirit, serve the Lord" - and all who belong to him.  The gift of Christian service is indeed an ageless and precious one!

A PRAYER FOR HM THE QUEEN

Almighty God, our heavenly Father,
bless Elizabeth our Queen,
whose jubilee we now celebrate.
Help her to fulfil her responsibilities;
that by her influence
she may maintain unity, goodwill and peace
   among her peoples
and finally attain to the eternal kingdom of Christ;
who is alive and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God now and for ever.   Amen.

From:   Donald Gray, All Majesty and Power: An
             Anthology of Royal Prayers, London 2000,
             109-110

A PRAYER FOR THE COMMONWEALTH

Eternal God,
bless our Commonwealth of nations.
Guide us, of whatever race or tongue,
peace and prosperity,
sound government and just laws,
simplicity and justice.
In our relations with one another,
and a spirit of service to all the world;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

PRAYERS FOR CHRISTIAN SERVICE

Eternal God and Father,
you create us by your power
and redeem us by your love.
Guide and strengthen us by your Spirit,
that we may give ourselves today
in love and service to one another and to you;
through Jesus Christ our Saviour.   Amen.

Teach us, good Lord,
to serve you as you deserve;
to give and not to count the cost;
to fight and not to heed the wounds;
to toil and not to seek for rest;
to labour and not to ask for any reward
save that of knowing that we do your will;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

THE BLESSING

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit,
be with us all.   Amen.

Sunday 30 January 2022

A THOUGHT FOR CANDLEMAS

The festival of Candlemas falls on 2nd February every year.  According to an old tradition, this is officially the end of the Christmas season, the day on which the decorations should be taken down, and other festive ornaments put away.  

In the early Christian Church, Candlemas was a great festival of light, proclaiming Christ as light of the world.  The tradition developed whereby beeswax candles were blessed for use in churches and private homes throughout the year.  Some early historians refer to The Feast of Lighted Candles, and in some churches today there is still a procession of candles to mark this occasion in the Christian Year.

In Jesus's day, when a woman had borne a child, she was declared 'ritually unclean' for forty days - eighty days if the child was a girl.  The mother could continue with her household duties and daily business, but could not enter the Temple or share in religious ceremonies.  At the end of this period, she had to take a lamb to the Temple as a burnt offering, and a young pigeon as a sin offering.  This was an expensive gift, and the law stated that if she could not afford a lamb, she could bring two pigeons instead.  Thus St. Luke (2: 21-24) tells us that Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to Jerusalem to "present him to the Lord", and to make the required sacrifice.

To the modern mind, this is a peculiar ceremony.  We would never declare a new mother 'ritually unclean,' nor would we insist that she take her newborn child to the Church or some other holy place "to be presented to the Lord," and dedicated to the Lord's service.  Yet behind this practice is the conviction that every child is a gift of God.  Indeed, Professor William Barclay has said of this custom that it teaches us that "Of all God's gifts there is none for which we shall be so answerable as the gift of a child."

It has also been suggested that behind this custom is the profound conviction that human life is sacred, and not to be regarded lightly or as a mere commodity.  This is arguably in contrast to our age, where human life is often seen as cheap and expendable, with no hint of it being a God-given gift.  We only need to think of how many needless deaths are caused by crime and mindless violence, or of lives lost in conflict, or in another deliberate, brutal way, to come to the conclusion that human life today is like a 'product' that can be dispensed with at will, and has no divine meaning attached to it.

The festival of Candlemas has given rise to many traditions over the centuries.  It does, however, commemorate the time when Jesus was "presented in the Temple" and acclaimed the light of the nations, and when his mother Mary was pronounced 'ritually clean' forty days after giving birth to her son. Further to this, the peculiar customs of Candlemas remind us that the life of a child, indeed every life, is a gift of God and ought to be treated as such.

Do we see human life as a gift of God, and invested with divine significance?  Or do we dismiss it as a mere commodity to do with as we wish?

Jesus said: "I am the light of the world.
Those who follow me shall not walk in darkness,
but shall have the light of life."

Gracious God, our strength and our salvation,
without whose light we walk in darkness and in error:
at this time of Candlemas we confess that we have
sinned against you and against one another
in what we have done, and in what we have not done.
We acknowledge our failure in pure in holy living,
and all else that is amiss in our lives,
for which we seek your forgiveness....
Pardon our past mistakes, we pray,
and deliver us from our present folly.
And at this time of Candlemas,
help us to live each moment of our day
in the clear, shining light of your love,
revealed to us in Jesus Christ our Lord.   
  Amen.

PRAYERS FOR CANDLEMAS

Almighty and ever-living God,
whose beloved Son
was this day presented in the Temple:
grant that we may be presented to you
with pure and clean hearts,
by your Son Jesus Christ our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.   Amen.

Lord Jesus Christ,
light of the nations and glory of Israel:
make your home among us,
and present us pure and holy
to your heavenly Father,
your God, and our God.   Amen.

PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION
FOR CANDLEMAS

Almighty God, sovereign Lord,
the God of faithfulness, light and love:

Remember, O Lord, at this time of Candlemas
your holy Church, here and throughout the world,
that you may grant to your Church today
the faith of her apostles, the hope of her martyrs,
and the light of Jesus Christ, her glorified Lord....

Remember, O Lord, at this time of Candlemas
the nations of the world, and our own nation,
that they may learn all that belongs to their peace,
guided by Jesus Christ, the world's true light....

Remember, O Lord, at this time of Candlemas
those who are sick, those who suffer pain or loneliness
or grief of heart, those for whom this pandemic has brought
and brings unimaginable sorrow, and those whom we name
before you silently, but in faith and sincerity of love....
Grace them with your presence,
guide them by your light,
grant them your peace....

All this we ask through our Lord Jesus Christ,
who lives to make intercession for us,
now and for ever.   Amen.

THE BLESSING

May the love of the Father enfold us,
the wisdom of the Son enlighten us,
the fire of the Spirit inflame us;
and may the blessing of God rest upon us
and abide with us, now and for ever.   Amen.

Sunday 23 January 2022

A CHRISTLIKE CULTURE

"Whatever is true, whatever is noble,
 whatever is right, whatever is pure,
 whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - 
 if anything is excellent or praiseworthy,
 think about such things."

This Sunday, we usually take some aspect of 'culture' as our theme.  At this time, the Burns Supper season is well underway, with the traditional celebrations taking place here and across the world.  Like last year, however, many Burns events have been cancelled, while some are taking place in a limited way.  Others have moved online and are a virtual commemoration of the Bard's life and work.  Nevertheless, we can still take 'culture' as a theme to explore.

Modern life never ceases to place demands on us.  For the last two years, governments have placed demands on us to bring this pandemic under control.  Our bosses at work place demands on us.  Our families and friends place demands on us.  Our children place demands on us.  We place demands on ourselves. And, most of all, God places demands on us.

In that marvellous passage above from his Letter to the Philippians (4: 4-8), St. Paul places demands on the Christian community at Philippi.  If the people there are to think and act properly as the people of God, they must keep their character, their integrity intact by fulfilling a series of demands.  In other words, in their living out the Christian life, they must 'think' in the right way, so that they will 'act' in the right way.  The preservation of their integrity of character depends on how they 'think' and 'act,' and the connection between 'thinking' and 'acting' must be taken seriously.

Demands are placed on us to live as God would have us live, and preserve our character, our integrity from being undermined or destroyed.  This is because our 'thought process' largely determines how we will 'act,' and how we will behave.  Thus St. Paul pleads with the Philippians to focus their minds only on what is true, honest, gracious, just, pure, lovely and worthy of praise.  By thinking the right things they will do the right things, and help create more of a Christlike culture within the wider community.

These demands are relevant today.  We may not realise that there is a connection between our 'thinking' and our 'acting,' but the apostle reminds us that our entire 'thought process' has a direct bearing on how we behave, and on how we live the Christian life.  A well-known American preacher once made this very point when he said that "all wars have to be thought, before they are fought," meaning that human conflicts have their origin in the mind.  A Scottish minister also aptly put it when he stated boldly that "the mind is a room that deserves only the very best of furniture,"  not the trivial, the tawdry or the trash, of which there is so much in contemporary society.

The human mind will always focus on something.  St. Paul was well aware of this, and he wanted to make sure that the Philippians would set their minds only on the right things, and thereby create a Christlike culture among them.

"Whatever is true, whatever is noble,
 whatever is right, whatever is pure,
 whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable -
 if anything is excellent or praiseworthy -
 think about such things."

As we enter further into this new year, let us take the apostle's words to heart, and accept the demand to focus our minds only on the right things, and by our thoughts and actions, preserve our integrity of character, and encourage a much more Christlike culture to flourish among us.

"Only the steadfast pursuit of excellence can stem the drift into hopeless mediocrity."   
(Colin Morris)

A PRAYER FOR THE DAY

God of mercy, God of grace,
we confess that in thought, word and deed
we have fallen short of your glory
and of what you require of us.
We have filled our minds with many thoughts,
often disregarding what is true and noble,
what is just and pure, what is excellent and virtuous.
We have preferred to follow our own thinking,
our own desires, our own pleasures,
through which we have dishonoured you
and lost our way....

God of faithfulness and love,
assure us of your mercy and forgiveness,
   that our minds may be cleansed
   and our hearts strengthened 
   to live more nearly as we ought;
and by the power of your Holy Spirit,
help us to pursue excellence in all things;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

A PRAYER FOR THE WEEK

Most gracious God,
Creator and Lord of all things:
as we continue our earthly journey,
teach us to be creative in our lives,
and to bring about things worthwhile,
for our own good, and for the good of all;
and make us creators of goodness
every moment of our day
and every day that we are given,
that in a troubled and turbulent world
we may be bearers of light and grace;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord.   
   Amen.

A PRAYER FOR OUR CULTURE

Almighty God, source of all truth and creative power:
we ask your blessing on our culture, that only what
is best may take root and flourish among us.  Preserve
us as a people from all that is degrading; and instil in us
the gifts of purity and truth, goodness and grace, compassion and benevolence, and other virtues that are pleasing to you.
Save us from all mediocrity, and enable us to give you only
the finest, in all things at all times, in every place; through 
   Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

THE BLESSING

God the Father,
God the Son,
God the Holy Spirit,
bless, preserve, and keep us,
this day and for ever.   Amen.

Sunday 16 January 2022

THE MARRIAGE FEAST
AN ACT OF TRANSFORMATION

One of the casualties of the Coronavirus pandemic has been the marriage service.  More in disappointment than anger, many couples have postponed their wedding service to a later date. Some have gone ahead and held their service under restrictions but a significant majority has seen the virus as 'the unwelcome guest' and made alternative arrangements.

According to St. John's Gospel (2: 1-11), Jesus was a guest at a wedding feast or reception in Cana-in-Galilee.  We are also told that his mother and his disciples were among the guests. It has been suggested that their presence might indicate that this was a family wedding, and the newly-weds were related to Jesus.  The fact that Mary seems to have played a part in arranging the proceedings would strengthen this view, though we can only speculate.

During the celebrations, disaster struck - not a virus, but the running out of the wine.  In the culture of that time, the giving of hospitality was a sacred duty, and for the wine to run out at such a moment would be an enormous embarrassment for the host, and a shock for the couple and their guests.  In the panic, Mary approached Jesus and urged him to do something about it.  By means unknown, he 'saved the situation' by providing 120 gallons of wine, which, according to Professor A.M. Hunter, "is not an act of human prudence, still less of Divine Providence." *

What are we to make of this today?  In this 'sign,' in the well-known story of the 'changing of the water into wine,' Jesus may in effect be saying: "This is the meaning of my whole ministry: it is a changing of water into wine." *

Outside Dailly, dominating the Water of Girvan, stands the majestic Dalquharran House, a castle-like mansion designed by Robert Adam.  Its builder was Hugh Cairncross, Robert Adam's right hand man at Culzean Castle, who also built Kirkmichael Church.  The original building was a grand structure, with a round tower and central stair, reminiscent of Culzean, while in 1880-81 two wings were added to enhance and enlarge it.  The years took their toll, and in 1967 the roof was removed to render the building ineligible for taxation.  Since then it has stood exposed to the elements and is now in a state of dereliction.  What Dalquharran needs is a radical transformation from its ruinous state into one of the finest gems of Scottish architecture.

Transformation is surely the key to the whole of Jesus's ministry.

Jesus's ministry is one of transformation, of bringing out the best in people and situations, and of showing how he makes all things new, and of demonstrating God's power - even in the most desperate of circumstances.  In this 'sign,' in the changing of the tasteless water into rich, new wine, we see Jesus as the one who transforms for the better every person and every situation, a fact we may keep firmly in mind as we pass through our own dark moments and difficult days.

The story of the wedding reception is so much more than the turning of water into wine.  It is a story of Jesus demonstrating God's power, and of how he transforms the worst into the best, and the best into the better!

*Quoted in A.M. Hunter, According to John, SCM Press Ltd., 1968, 76

"My help comes only from the Lord,
maker of heaven and earth."

Lord, set your blessing on us
as we begin this day together.
Confirm us in the truth
by which we rightly live;
confront us with the truth
from which we wrongly turn.
We ask not for what we want
but for what you know we need,
as we offer this day and ourselves
for you and to you;
through Jesus Christ our Saviour.   Amen.

PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION

God of love and power,
We pray for your Church in this parish
and throughout the world,
that, through the courage and faith of your people,
your word may be preached and lived....
We pray for the Queen and those in authority,
that, in the fulfilling of their duties,
they may be guided by your Spirit
and upheld by your grace....
We pray for our community, our country,
and the nations of the world,
that, following the ways of truth and justice,
they may be free from bitterness and strife,
and by the power of your love, live in peace....
We pray for all who are in trouble,
that those who are sick may be cared for,
those who are lonely sustained,
those who are oppressed strengthened,
those who mourn comforted,
and that those who are close to death
may know their risen Lord....

We give thanks
for those who have died in the faith,
especially those known to us,
who have entered into the joy and peace
of your nearer presence.
Grant that we may follow their example,
and come to share with them
the glory of everlasting life,
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who with the Father and the Holy Spirit
is worshipped and glorified for ever.   Amen.

From:   Common Order (Church of Scotland),
             Edinburgh 1994, 519, 31-32

THE BLESSING

May God, who is the ground of hope,
fill us with all joy and peace
as we lead the life of faith
until, by the power of the Holy Spirit,
we overflow with hope.

And the blessing of God Almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among us, and remain with us always.   Amen.

Sunday 9 January 2022

THE CHILD GREW

The Twelve Days of Christmas are well and truly over, and we move forward in the Christian Year, as in the calendar year.

Of Jesus's early years, we know virtually nothing, apart from an incident recorded in St. Luke's Gospel when he was twelve years old (2:41-52).  At the age of twelve, a Jewish boy became a man, or, more correctly, a 'son of the law,' taking on the duties that Jewish law required.

At the age of twelve, Jesus was taken by his parents to the Passover Festival in Jerusalem for this ceremony, where something awful happened.  When his parents returned to Nazareth, the boy Jesus lingered in the city.  After returning to Jerusalem, and following a three-day search, Joseph and Mary found Jesus in the Temple, discussing the weighty issues of the day with religious and political leaders.  Here was the young Jesus at the great debates - a learner among the learned.

St. Luke (2:40) tells us that as the child grew, he  matured in body, mind and spirit.  He increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and his fellow human beings.  The babe of Bethlehem did not remain an infant.  The scenes of Jesus's birth may be fresh in our minds, and in our imagination we may still be gathered round the manger.

As Christian disciples, we cannot stay at Bethlehem.  We cannot idolise the Christ child, lying in a manger, proclaimed by angels, and visited by wise men.  We  cannot let the sentimental side of the manger scene rule our Christian thinking and our Christian witness.  As 'the child grew' - mentally, physically, spiritually, socially - we must grow with him, and let his life and example shape our lives, and inspire our Christian thought and action in the world today.

We are still in the early days of this new year.  This year will have its challenges for all of us.  We can, however, face them with confidence and courage, certain that Christ has plans for the Church, for the nation and for the world.  But we will never find out what these plans are if we remain at Bethlehem, and keep looking back to Jesus's birth and to the strange circumstances surrounding it.  As it has rightly been said, "we do not worship a baby God."

The child grew - mentally, physically, spiritually, socially - and we must grow with him.  By making Christ's maturity our maturity, Christ's wisdom our wisdom, Christ's compassion our compassion, we will come closer to discerning his will for us, and to fulfilling it in the way he requires of us.

As the child grew, let us resolve in this new year to grow with him!

"The Lord will give strength to his
people; the Lord will bless his people
with peace."

Holy God, righteous and merciful,
as we acknowledge your majesty
and sovereign rule over all things,
we confess that we have failed
to obey your commandments,
and have fallen short of your glory....
We are unworthy of your gifts,
and undeserving of your grace
and favour to us....
In your love and mercy, forgive us;
and help us in this coming year
to find life's true purpose
in knowing and doing your will;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

A GENERAL PRAYER

God of the morning, God of the new day,
our refuge, our rock, our everlasting hope:
We pray for the Church in this parish
and throughout the world,
that your people may be a beacon
of light and hope and love
in a troubled and uncertain world....
We pray for our country, our community,
and for the nations of the world,
that by the power of your Spirit
they may live in harmony and peace....
We pray for those in need
and for all who suffer at this time,
that the sick may be cared for,
the lonely and the isolated sustained,
and the sorrowful comforted....
We pray for all afflicted by this virus,
that your healing hand may touch them,
and that those who lovingly tend them
may bring healing and wholeness....
All this we ask through Jesus Christ,
our Lord and Saviour.   Amen.

A PRAYER FOR OURSELVES

Almighty God,
whose dear Son grew 
in wisdom and stature,
and in favour with you
and his fellow human beings:
give us grace in this new year
to grow with him in wisdom,
that he may always be to us
the pattern we follow,
the redeemer we trust,
the master we serve,
and the friend to whom we turn;
in whose name we pray.   Amen.

THE BLESSING

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
and the love of God,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit,
be with us all.   Amen.

Sunday 2 January 2022

 "The Lord God has been our refuge 
throughout all generations: from everlasting
  to everlasting, he is our God."

THE FIRST SUNDAY OF THE YEAR

There can be few of us who approach the New Year without giving thought to the year that has ended.  Some will reflect on 2021 and find something for which to be grateful.  The majority, however, will see last year as an annus horribilis - a year still overwhelmed by the pandemic and best consigned to history.  There will also be those for whom the past year has been one of personal failure and disappointment, who will be hoping that 2022 is a much happier one for all of us.

"Blessed are those who are given the opportunity of a new beginning!"  These words could well have come from the lips of Jesus.  In fact, they come from the pen of the late Dr. Denis Duncan, a Church of Scotland minister, who became a gifted author, counsellor and spiritual writer, with a fine reputation in the "ministry of print."  His words speak of a blessing on those who are given the opportunity of a new beginning, the chance of a fresh start in life.

This is exactly what a New Year is about.  God, in his unfailing providence, has given a new chapter in life to each of us.  We do not know where this New Year will take us, nor do we know what the pathway ahead will bring. What we do know is that this coming year is God's gift to us - and an opportunity to give thanks for the grace of a new beginning. 

This does not mean that we have to forget the past, and erase the experience of 2021 from our minds.  The past remains part of our life's rich tapestry, and will no doubt contribute much to how we shape the future. To dismiss it from memory would be a great loss, and there must be valuable lessons we can carry into the future.

That said, however, we have been blessed with the gift of another year, with its possibilities and opportunities, and we ought to accept it with enthusiasm, and with the confidence of those who profess Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord.

"Blessed are those who are given the opportunity of a new
beginning!"  That blessing belongs to us, so let us make 2022 a time of new beginnings, weaving our way through it with a lively faith, and with that inner peace which only God in Christ can give.

With every blessing and best wish to you all in 2022!

THE FIRST SUNDAY OF THE YEAR
A PRAYER

O God, our help in ages past,
and our hope for the years to come:
all praise and glory be to you,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
for safely bringing us in your love
to the gate of this new year....
Forgive us the wrong we have done
in the year now ended; and set us free
from guilt and despair, and from all that
hinders our communion with you....
And as we enter the gate of another year,
help us to commit ourselves into your care
and to rededicate our lives in your service;
through him, who is the First and the Last,
the Beginning and the End of all things,
your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

A PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

God of new beginnings,
whose years never fail
and whose mercy is everlasting:
we give thanks for the blessings
of the year now ended; and as we begin
this new year of our life's journey,
we praise you for the possibilities
and for the opportunities before us;
but most of all, for the assurance
that Christ the Saviour is with us,
our companion on the way.
Give us grace
   to learn from the errors of the past,
   to face the challenges of the present,
   and to renew our hope for the future,
as we now go forward in faith,
   and in the name of Christ the Lord.   Amen.

THE BLESSING

May God bless the coming year,
giving us in his mercy:
   time for the task,
   peace for the pathway,
   courage for the challenges,
   and love to the last.
And the blessing of God Almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be upon us, and remain with us always.   Amen.

Saturday 1 January 2022

NEW YEAR'S DAY

The Christmas and New Year period is traditionally one of giving and receiving gifts.  The present health emergency has perhaps meant more online purchases than through shopping expeditions, but the giving and receiving of gifts has continued without interruption.

Throughout our lives, God has given us countless gifts, freely to enjoy.  One of these is the precious gift of time.  That beautiful passage from the Book of Ecclesiastes in the Old Testament reminds us that time is a divine blessing, and that God has made everything to suit its time.

As we come to New Year's Day, and to another chapter in our life's story, we may remind ourselves that time is God's gift to us, and that whatever this year may or may not bring, it still remains a gift from our Creator.  The question arises: how are we going to use this gift?  Are we going to spend this year in a way that honours God and brings good to people?  Or are we going to fritter it away and forsake the opportunities it brings?

As we make New Year resolutions, let us resolve to make the very best of the time available, trusting in the One who makes all things new - Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord.  For he is the light that shines on our path, and our constant companion on the way!

A happy, peaceful New Year's Day to you all!

A NEW YEAR'S DAY PRAYER

God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
whose years never fail,
and whose mercies are new each returning day:
let the radiance of your Spirit renew our lives,
warming our hearts and giving light to our minds;
that we may pass the coming year
in joyful obedience and firm faith;
through him who is the beginning and the end,
your Son Christ our Lord.   Amen.

From:   The Promise Of His Glory,
              London 1991, 354

THE BLESSING

May God bless the coming year,
giving us in his mercy
   time for the task,
   peace for the pathway,
   courage for the challenges,
and love to the last.   Amen.

"Just as the tide ebbs and flows, so the tide of time takes us from one year into the next."

Sunday 26 December 2021

​THE LAST SUNDAY OF THE YEAR
THE GIVING OF THE HEART

"The eyes of the Lord are always upon us, from the beginning of the year, even to the end."

This Sunday is the last Sunday of the year.  We may have thought that by this time most, if not all restrictions, would have been removed, and that our life may have returned to some kind of normality.  This hope has not been fulfilled, and the Omicron variant has proved to be a most unwelcome development in recent weeks.  We can only hope and pray that even if more transmissible, the variant is less severe and ably managed.

In the Christmas story, the wise men have an important role to play.  It is believed that these astrologers or Magi might have come from Persia or some other eastern countries, with their threefold gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.  If this is historical, it must have taken months for these Magi to cross the desert to find the Christ-child.  St. Matthew tells us that when they reached Jesus, they found not a baby but a child - and a child with Mary, his mother, inside a house.  There is no mention of them having been at the manger.

The Gospel further informs us that when these astrologers saw the child with Mary, his mother, they bowed low in homage to him, opened their treasure chests,  and presented their gifts to him: gold, frankincense and myrrh.  Each gift has been seen as something that represents an aspect of Jesus's life and work: gold, the gift for a king; frankincense, the gift for a priest; and myrrh, the gift for one who is to die.  Whether or not this is true, it certainly seems that each gift is a fitting one for Jesus Christ.

What would we give to Jesus today?  We live in a world where babies and young children receive all kinds of gifts, and it is often a difficult task to choose a gift for a particular child. Many have abandoned traditional gifts in favour of a monetary one, so that the parents can buy the child any gift that seems appropriate.  Back to the question - what would we give to Jesus today?

The answer surely lies in the last verse of one of our best-known Christmas hymns:

"What can I give him,
poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd
I would bring a lamb;
if I were a wise man,
I would do my part - 
yet what I can I give him,
give my heart."

Christina Georgina Rossetti (1830-1894) believes that the most important gift to bring to Jesus Christ is the devotion of our heart.  

As we come to the close of another year, and as we reflect on the days which are behind and before us, we may use this time of reflection to rededicate our lives to Jesus Christ; and to give him the worship of our heart, with the loyalty of our lives, now and at all times.

A happy, healthy and peaceful 2022 to you all!

THE LAST SUNDAY OF THE YEAR
A PRAYER

Gracious God, our creator and judge,
in whose hand are the issues of time and eternity:
as another year comes quietly to a close,
we acknowledge our sins and shortcomings.
In the quietness of our hearts
we confess the promises unfulfilled,
the good intentions forgotten,
the opportunities lost or neglected,
and the many duties left undone....
We have spoken unkind words
and done ungracious deeds....
We have pursued the wrong desires
and have neglected you, in whom alone
is our very life and peace....
Show us your mercy, your unfailing love,
and forgive, correct and heal us;
and in this coming year,
enable us to put our trust in you,
the God in whom all our hope is founded;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

A PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

Eternal Lord God,
by whose command the order of time
 quietly runs its course:
we give you thanks for bringing us
 through a challenging year
 in our life's continuing journey.
Forgive us our ingratitude in the year
which is past; forgive our lack of faith,
and our lack of trust in your promises;
 forgive our forgetfulness of you;
and teach us, now and in the coming days,
 to number our blessings
 and give you due thanks and praise;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

THE BLESSING

May the Lord who has blessed and kept us
 in the year now ending,
preserve our going out and our coming in,
 from this time forth
 and for evermore.
And the blessing of God Almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among us, and remain with us always.   Amen.

Saturday 25 December 2021

CHRISTMAS DAY
THE DIVINE INTERRUPTION

When we are busy at work, or enjoying relaxation, we are often frustrated by interruptions.  It might be the postman with a parcel, or a telephone ringing loudly in our ears.  It might be an unexpected visitor at the door, or something we have to go out in the car to attend to. It is a fact of life that we are all 'victims of interruptions,' and if our attention is disturbed and our train of thought is broken, such interruptions are most unwelcome.

The Christmas story is one of major interruptions.  If we study it carefully, we find that the birth of Jesus Christ was a mighty interruption for everyone involved.  It was a huge interruption for Joseph and Mary, who had gone on a hazardous journey to Bethlehem from Nazareth - not for parenthood - but to register their names in a census for tax purposes. 

It was a huge interruption for the innkeeper..  We are told that the inn was full that night, and that there was no room for Joseph and Mary, except in a stall or shelter inside a courtyard.  We may assume that the anonymous innkeeper found this embarrassing, and went out of his way to provide the couple with some kind of accommodation.

It was a huge interruption for the shepherds, keeping watch over their flock by night.  With the birth of Jesus, and on hearing the angels' message, they stopped working, came down from the hills, and made their way to the manger.

It was a huge interruption for King Herod.  This child was proclaimed a king, and thus a challenge to the tyrant's authority.  Not surprisingly, he reacted in a most violent manner, launching a search for the child to have him killed.

And the birth of Jesus was a huge interruption in the lives of those astrologers - the Magi - who journeyed to the Christ-child with their threefold gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, perhaps travelling several thousand miles across a desert, taking several months or more to complete.

Further to this, however, in Mary's child, Jesus Christ, God himself 'interrupted' the life of this world, and did so, not out of spite or vengeance, but out of love.  In Jesus Christ, the Divine Love burst into our world: 'God loved the world in such a way that he sent his only Son to redeem it, and to draw all people to himself.'  The Christmas story is the story of God interrupting the course of history to enter this world in human form.  

In our lives, interruptions may be dismissed as an unwelcome nuisance.  One moment, we are in deep concentration: the next, our train of thought is broken and our attention impaired.  Not all interruptions are an annoyance.  Let us remember that the Christmas story itself is the story of an interruption - that Divine Interruption - whereby God himself entered into history to bring healing and hope to a broken world.  

There has never been an interruption like it.  There never will be an interruption like it. This is the huge 'interruption' we celebrate today!

A happy, peaceful Christmas Day to you all!

A CHRISTMAS DAY BLESSING

May the joy of the angels,
the eagerness of the shepherds,
the perseverance of the wise men,
the obedience of Joseph and Mary,
and the peace of the Christ child
be ours this Christmas Day.   Amen.

Sunday 19 December 2021

ADVENT 4
THE BIRTH OF JESUS CHRIST

On this Fourth Sunday of Advent we are moving closer to the celebration of Christmas Day.  It is often said that Christmas is an occasion for the children, a children's festival, a time for our young people to enjoy themselves in the traditional way.

This is not surprising, since much of the commercial side to Christmas, particularly the lavish advertising that seems to start earlier each year, is targeted at children and young people.  Thus we often hear it said that 'Christmas is a time for the children.'

Christmas should not, however, be understood in this way.  Christmas should not be thought of as a children's festival, even if our thoughts are firmly focussed at this time on the Christ child, born at Bethlehem, to a young woman called Mary.

At Christmas the Christ child does take centre place.  But Christmas is a festival for everyone - for people of all ages.  The stories of the birth of Jesus are not children's stories, and were never written with children in mind.  These are stories for all of us, irrespective of our age.

The stories of our Lord's birth were written to make a
statement about him. Their purpose is to emphasise his
uniqueness, and to tell us that throughout the whole of
Jesus's life, God's hand is at work.  There is no other
person like Jesus.  There is no greater teacher than  Jesus.  There is no Saviour compared to Jesus.  Mary's 
child is unique in every respect, and the hand of God is
at work in him throughout his life and beyond.

Jesus is God's gift to all of us, whether or not we are 
children.  To see Christmas as a children's event is to
misunderstand its nature.  As someone once put it: Jesus is 'the human face of God.'  This is what the stories of his birth were written to make known to us.

O come, then, let us adore him,
Christ the Lord!

A happy, healthy and peaceful Christmas to you all!

A PRAYER FOR CHRISTMAS DAY

All praise to you,
Almighty God and heavenly king,
who sent your Son into the world
to take our nature upon him
and to be born of a pure virgin.
Grant that, as we are born again in him,
so he may continually dwell in us
and reign on earth as he reigns in heaven
with you and the Holy Spirit,
now and for ever.   Amen.

CHRISTMAS PRAYERS

Almighty God, by whose grace we celebrate
  Christmastide:

May the light of the Christmas Gospel
fill your Church with joy and  peace in believing:
that like the star once shining in the east,
your Church may become the very light
that leads people, here and everywhere,
to the cradle, the cross, and the crown
of Mary's child, Jesus Christ....

May the Christmas promise
of peace on earth and goodwill to all people
be much more real for us, and for the world
at this time of joyful celebration.
May the love of Christ, the Prince of Peace,
come and enfold us, bringing his peace
to the Church and to the nations,
to communities and individuals,
to our homes and to our hearts....

May the Christmas gift of light to the world
bring hope and comfort to those who live
in the darkness of this world, especially
at this time of ongoing pandemic:
to the sick, the suffering, the sorrowing,
to the hungry, the homeless, the helpless,
and to all those who cannot share the spirit
of this holy season, quietly recalling in faith
any known to us, and loved by us....

And so to all who need our prayers:
to those for whom we have prayed,
and to all for whom we have not prayed
but are known to you, most loving God,
may the coming Christ bring healing 
and hope, and his eternal blessing....

All this we ask through Jesus Christ,
the world's true light, for ever shining,
who is Lord and Saviour of all.   Amen.

THE BLESSING

May the joy of the angels,
the eagerness of the shepherds,
the perseverance of the wise men,
the obedience of Joseph and Mary,
and the peace of the Christ child
be ours this Christmas.

And the blessing of God Almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be upon us, and remain with us always.   Amen.

Sunday 12 December 2021

JOHN THE BAPTIST

"The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together."

Our world is one of sending messages, whether by long-established traditional means, or by the mass of technology we now have at our disposal.  

In the Advent story, John the Baptist is portrayed as a messenger, called by God to 'prepare the way' for the coming of the Messiah, which we find deeply rooted in the Old Testament.

In a well-known passage from the book of Isaiah (40: 1-11), the prophet foretells the coming of God's messenger to 'prepare the way' for his Chosen One - a messenger later identified as John the Baptist.  John was what we would call an eccentric: he lived an austere life, dressed in strange clothes, ate locusts and wild honey, and behaved in a way that many would regard as bizarre and unorthodox.

As a preacher in his own right, the interesting fact about John is that he never courted publicity for himself.  John saw his ministry as one of preparation - as one of 'preparing the way' for the 'advent' or the 'coming' of Jesus Christ.  When Jesus finally appeared, John retreated into the background to allow Jesus the foremost place. From what we know about John, he never sought to draw attention to himself, or court the kind of publicity that attention-seekers look for today.  He saw Jesus as the one much greater than himself, and accepted this without criticism of complaint.

It is often said that we live in a celebrity-driven culture, where many go to inordinate length to attract public attention and approval.  One writer has said that we are living in an "attention-seeking society," where self-esteem, self-importance and self-worship have reached new, and sometimes ridiculous heights.  Yet John the Baptist, in spite of his eccentric appearance and erratic manner, stands as a reminder to all of us that while "attention-seeking" might be the way of the world, it is not by any means the Christian way.

Humility and grace are Christ's way, and this is something of which John the Baptist was acutely aware.

As part of our own Advent discipline, we could reflect on this, and work for a world where humility and grace, with less "attention-seeking,"  are much more in evidence, and where John the Baptist remains an inspiration and example to follow.

Almighty and ever-living God,
by whose power John the Baptist
was born into the world
as forerunner of the promised Messiah:
help us to hear and to heed once more
his message of repentance and amendment of life,
and to follow his blessed example
of humility, grace and self-denial;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

Almighty God,
you sent your servant John the Baptist
to prepare your people to welcome the Messiah.
Inspire the ministers and stewards of your truth
to turn our disobedient hearts to you,
that when Christ shall come again
to be our judge
we may stand with confidence before his glory;
who is alive and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.   Amen.

From:   Common Order (Church of Scotland),
             Edinburgh 1994, 649

THE BLESSING

May the Lord Jesus Christ,
who by his most blessed Advent,
came to redeem the world,
sanctify our bodies, minds and spirits;
that we may await his coming again in glory
with faith, and without fear.
And the blessing of God Almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among us, and remain with us always.   Amen.

Sunday 5 December 2021

ADVENT 2
THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS CHRIST

The Advent season was, and still is for many people, a time of preparation for the "coming" or the "arrival" of Jesus Christ into our world.  It has also been one of "getting ready" for what is called the Second Coming of Jesus Christ at the end of history.

The shortness of time is something of which we are all aware.  Since the start of the pandemic, the days and months have passed quickly, while people often say that the years pass by at an incredible pace.  Many famous people have expressed their anxiety about the brevity of time.  In his Songs of Travel, Robert Louis Stevenson noted his fear of "the sunset gun" going off too soon, while in When I Have Fears, the poet John Keats expressed his anxiety that he might "cease to be" before completing his life's work.

Like so many great people, St. Paul was haunted by the shortness of time.  This was founded on his belief that the Second Coming of Christ was imminent, and would most likely take place in his lifetime.  The early Christian Church expected Christ to return to this world at any moment, and people had to be prepared for it.  Therefore, in his Letter to the Romans (11: 11-14), the apostle affirms his deeply-held belief that time is short, that the Lord's re-appearance is near, and that his readers must live in such a way as befits this cataclysmic event.

What are we to make of this today?  After some two thousand years, this event, with all its attendant drama, has not happened.  Jesus Christ has not returned to earth as expected, and in the powerful way described in some of our Advent hymns and readings.  "Lo, he comes with clouds descending, Christ, the Lamb, for sinners slain" - these lines from Charles Wesleys's splendid hymn describe an experience which has not taken place.  Perhaps we need to interpret this less literally, and look at the conviction on which the belief rests.

The conviction is that history is not, as some suppose, a random and unrelated series of events and experiences, thrown together by pure chance.  The whole course of history has a meaning and purpose to it, and the climax of history will be the ultimate triumph of Jesus Christ, and of everything that he stands for.  In other words, there is a reason for our being here, and all our experiences, whether good or otherwise, are part of the divine plan. Therefore, in view of this, and as Professor William Barclay points out: we should live in such a way as if Jesus were to come among us at any moment.  For every day, we draw nearer to that time when the child of Bethlehem will be Lord of all.

In this Advent season, we may ask if we are living in a way that would meet with Christ's approval should he come to us unexpectedly, or in a way that would bring shame and judgment on ourselves, and dishonour to his name.

Whatever we think of the Second Coming today, it surely  oints to the ultimate victory of Jesus Christ, whose birth at Bethlehem we celebrate shortly!

"The Lord is our strength and our might
and has become our salvation."

Holy God, righteous and merciful,
resplendent in majesty, radiant in glory,
beyond our deepest understanding,
yet made known to us in Jesus Christ:
as we pass through this Advent season,
take your Church, and strengthen it;
take our world, and civilise it;
take our nation, and purify it;
take our society, and cleanse it;
take our culture, and enrich it;
take our health, and restore it;
take our lives, and make them
fit for every duty that awaits us,
that we may be faithful servants
of Jesus Christ, whose coming we await
and whose day draws near.   Amen.

A PRAYER FOR ADVENT

Almighty God,
give us grace to cast away
the works of darkness
and put on the armour of light
now in the time of this mortal life,
in which your Son Jesus Christ
came to us in great humility;
that on the last day,
when he shall come again in his glorious majesty
to judge both the living and the dead,
we may rise to the life immortal;
through him who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.   Amen.

From:   Common Order (Church of Scotland),
             Edinburgh 1994, 649

THE BLESSING

The God of peace make us holy in all things
that we may be ready at the coming of our Lord
   Jesus Christ.
And the blessing of God Almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among us, and remain with us for ever.   Amen.

Sunday 28 November 2021

ADVENT SUNDAY

"Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence.
Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord,
when he comes, shall find watching."

This Tuesday is St. Andrew's Day.  We rightly remember Andrew the fisherman - the disciple of Jesus Christ, who is our patron saint.  Today is the First Sunday of Advent, otherwise known as Advent Sunday, and it has been said of Advent that it is "a season clouded in mystery."

We might then ask: where has all the mystery gone?

In our constant, and sometimes desperate attempt to be relevant, we have arguably oversimplified or even trivilaised the Christian faith.  We may have overlooked the profound sense of mystery that has always been central to Christian belief and devotion.

We have, of course, seen this shift in emphasis in other areas of life.  It is a sure and certain sign of our times that the modern mind is suspicious of mystery and will not accept too much of it.  We need to cut through life's mysteries and get to the root of everything.  In making the faith easier to understand, we may have lost the profound sense of mystery that once underpinned it.

Where has all the mystery gone?  It has been suggested that the popularity of the Harry Potter books and other works of fiction are compensation for the loss of the mysterious.  These works allow us to enter into fictional worlds, and revel in the sense of mystery, awe and wonder that still captivates us.  Whatever the case, we may have forgotten that Christianity has a long tradition of mystery attached to it, centred on the mystery of God himself.

Advent is historically a season of expectation, a time of preparation for something that will forever remain a mystery: the coming of God in Jesus Christ.  These holy days of Advent invite us to reflect on the greatest mystery the world has ever known, and however intelligently we try and explain it, the very notion of God's coming to our world in Mary's child is something that defies rational explanation.  

If we want a simple, easy-going Christianity, then Jesus is nothing more than an outstanding preacher, teacher and healer.  If we want the mystery, we must see Jesus in a much greater sense: as the One who, according to St. Paul (Colossians 1: 9-20), is the image of the invisible God, the One who embodies God's wisdom and God's nature, the One in whom God in all his fullness chose to dwell.

Let us accept the fact that this will always be a mystery.  But through the mystery lies the conviction that in Jesus Christ, God chose to disclose himself in a human life.  This remains a mystery forever.  Yet it is forever a marvel too!

A PRAYER FOR ADVENT SUNDAY

Lord our God,
on the first day of creation
you made the light that scatters all darkness.
Let Christ, the light of lights,
hidden from all eternity,
shine at last on your people
and free us from the darkness of sin.
Fill our lives with joy
as we go out to welcome your Son at his coming.
We ask it in the name of Jesus the Lord.   Amen.

From:   The Promise of his Glory,
             London 1991, 345

A PRAYER FOR THE ADVENT SEASON

O Lord our God, by whose everlasting grace
we come to these most holy days of Advent:
may this special season always be for us
a time of reflection, repentance and renewal;
and by the power of your Holy Spirit,
prepare us once more for the birth of your Son,
our Saviour Jesus Christ, the child in the manger,
the infant of Mary, the world's true light
   for ever shining.   Amen.

A PRAYER FOR ST. ANDREW'S DAY

Almighty God, who gave such grace to your apostle
Saint Andrew that he readily obeyed the calling of
your Son and brought his brother with him: give us,
who are called by your holy word, grace to follow
without delay and to tell the good news of your kingdom;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

THE BLESSING

Look forward in hope
to the coming of our Saviour;
prepare the way for Christ our Lord;
welcome him with love and faith
when he comes in glory.
And the blessing of God Almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among us, and remain with us always.   Amen.