A Thought for the week Archive

Sunday 8th June 2025

THE DAY OF PENTECOST

In recent weeks, our village agricultural shows have taken place, with many more still to be held.  Ayr Show recently took place at Ayr racecourse, while the Royal Highland Show will hopefully attract a large turnout later this month to this national agricultural festival in the showground at Ingliston, near Edinburgh.

In Jewish culture, Pentecost was a great festival.  The word means 'fiftieth,' as it fell on the fiftieth day after the Passover. Pentecost was an agricultural festival, and Jerusalem was packed with pilgrims from every part of the ancient world. As Professor William Barclay points out: "Never was there a more international crowd in Jerusalem than at the time of Pentecost."

We can never say for certain precisely what happened on the Day of Pentecost.  The scene, vividly described in Acts 2: 1-13, is laden with symbolic language and powerful images.  The story suggests, however, that on the Day of Pentecost, the disciples, gathered together in one place, experienced the Spirit of God in a way they had never done before - and in such a profound way that onlookers thought they were drunk!  Whatever happened that day, the experience was a life-changing one.

Many would say that they have felt 'touched', 'nudged' or 'inspired' by the Holy Spirit in their lives, in an unusual way and in a most unlikely place.  It has been said that it is more likely during worship that the Spirit makes its presence known most strongly.  Such was the experience of David Livingstone, who, feeling touched by the Spirit in a village church at Blantyre, resolved to take the Christian Gospel to the African continent.

It might well be that the disciples had gathered together in Jerusalem for worship.  Whatever the purpose of their coming together, the Spirit of God is a 'transforming' one.  On the Day of Pentecost, the disciples experienced a power so strong that it transformed a band of fearful men into fearless messengers of the Gospel.  Their lives were changed for ever, empowered by the Spirit of God, unseen as the wind, but not unknown in its effect.

In our age, where the Christian faith has flourished in some parts of the world, but rapidly declined in others, and when the Christian Church itself often seems more culture-driven than Christ-centred, the power of the Spirit is needed more than ever to rekindle the faith in the hearts of Jesus's disciples today, and to transform them into effective instruments of the kingdom.

Let it be our prayer that Pentecost will happen again, and keep on happening, thus transforming our lives, as it did the lives of Jesus's companions, and letting God breathe on us, in us, and through us, now and at all times.

"Through the Holy Spirit he has given us,
God's love has flooded our hearts."

PRAYERS FOR PENTECOST

Come, Holy Spirit, come,
and fill the hearts of your faithful people,
and kindle in us the fire of your love;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

O Holy Spirit of God,
  Spirit of truth, of light, of love,
by whom Jesus is made known to us
  and through whom the love of God
  is shed abroad in our hearts:
come upon us in the power of Pentecost,
  to renew in us such gifts and graces
  as will glorify God
and equip us for ministry and witness
  in the Church and in the world;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

From:  Frank Colquhoun, Contemporary Parish Prayers,
            London 1975, 66

THE BLESSING

With unflagging zeal, aglow with the Spirit,
serve the Lord.
And the blessing of God Almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among us, and remain with us always.
   Amen.

Sunday 1st June 2025

EASTER 7
THE LORD IS KING
The Sunday after Ascension Day

The Ascension of Jesus Christ is celebrated on Ascension Day - the sixth Thursday after Easter Day.  In the Bible, this is vividly described by St. Luke (Acts 1: 1-11), and it marks both the end of Easter and the 'resurrection appearances.'  Indeed, the event we know as the Ascension signifies our Lord's departure from his disciples, and his 'ascending' into heaven to the glory of the Father.

By virtue of the Ascension, Jesus is now understood to be seated at the right hand of God.  This image is found in various places in the New Testament, particularly in the writings of St. Paul, and also in The Apostles' Creed, where it is said of Jesus that he "sitteth on the right hand of God, the Father Almighty."

This is picture-language, thought to derive from the custom of eastern kings to have their chief minister - "their right hand man" - standing or sitting to the right of them.  Strictly speaking, the rules of modern etiquette would place the guest of honour at a formal dinner to the right side of the host.  Jesus therefore has the first place, or the place of honour before God.

The Ascension is a profound mystery, and something that words cannot adequately describe.  Therefore, it is best illustrated in the Biblical text by picture-language or images.

One of the lessons of the Ascension is that we now have a friend in heaven, who is our advocate and representative, and who, in God's presence, continues to pray with us and for us.  Though Jesus is now "with honour and glory crowned," and occupies the highest place before God, he has not forgotten or abandoned us. As Professor William Barclay puts it: "He is still mighty and powerful to help, and in his exalted royalty, he has not forgotten his own." He is no longer bound by the limits of time and space, and may touch our lives at any time and in any place.

On this Sunday after Ascension Day, let this be a comfort and a blessing.  For though we pass through many dark valleys, whether a calamity or some other crisis - international, national or personal - we have that precious friend in God's presence, who, as our great high priest, continues to uphold his people and plead their cause.

This is surely something for which to rejoice and give thanks!

PRAYERS FOR THIS WEEK

"Christ has entered into heaven itself, to appear now before God on our behalf."

Gracious God, you raised your Son our Saviour Christ to heaven's highest place, that he might reign supreme over all things: we confess that we have failed to live as we ought, under Christ's most just and gentle rule; that we have broken his commandments, disobeyed his word, rejected his truth, ignored his voice, and chosen to follow our own path, rather than the way of life revealed to us in Jesus Christ.  For the sake of your dear Son, eternal God, forgive us; renew us and restore us; and may our lives, as well as our lips, acknowledge Jesus Christ as King of kings and Lord of lords, to the glory of your name.
      Amen.

May Christ the King
rule the peoples of this world,
that all may live in harmony and peace....
May Christ the King
rule the hearts of those who lead us,
that they may govern wisely and well....
May Christ the King
rule the Church in its mission to mankind,
turning minds towards the Gospel....
May Christ the King
rule in the lives of those in need,
that they may find wholeness and true gain....
May Christ the King
rule those working for a better world,
that their efforts may be fulfilled....
This we ask for his name's sake.   Amen.

THE BLESSING

May Christ the King make us faithful
and strong to do his will,
and bring us to reign with him 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.

Sunday 25th May 2025

EASTER 6
TO BE CHOSEN

There are things in life we do not choose, but are chosen for us. We may have an occupation we never intended to have, but we were chosen or 'headhunted' for it.  A singer or instrumentalist may not have performed in London's Royal Albert Hall by choice or chance, but may have been carefully chosen or selected for this special occasion.  

This is the message of St. John's Gospel (15: 9-17), where Jesus makes it clear that his disciples have not chosen him. He has chosen them.  Similarly, we did not choose God.  It was God who, in his mercy and grace, chose us.  From this passage, we discover that we are chosen for many reasons, and we will consider three of them:

We are chosen for joy.
No matter how hard the Christian life, and no matter how much it involves 'blood, toil, tears and sweat' (Churchill), the Christian way ought to be a joyful one.  A dull and depressing Christian is a contradiction in terms.  Christians are meant to be people of joy who undertake God's business cheerfully.  A former Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Donald Coggan, stresses this in his little book, The Heart of the Christian Faith, stating that Christianity is a faith that throbs with joy at its core.  God in Christ has redeemed us and renewed humanity - something that should make us joyful, radiant people - cheerful ambassadors for what we believe.

We are chosen to love.
As disciples of Jesus Christ, we are sent out into the world to be advertisements for our faith.  This means that we are called to love one another, always seeking one another's good through acts of kindness and compassion.  Sometimes we live as if we are called to compete, to quarrel and to cause as much havoc as possible.  The Christian lives by one rule - the rule of love.  By doing so, we reflect the very nature of God himself.  We are chosen to love our neighbours, which, at its most extreme, means laying down our life for them. Jesus fulfilled the great commandment he gave to us.

We are chosen to be friends.
We are chosen to be friends - friends of God, and friends of Jesus Christ.  Jesus says that his disciples are no longer slaves or servants but friends: God's friends, Christ's friends.  This means that we have a close, intimate contact with God never before thought possible. No longer do we need to gaze at God from a distance, or catch a glimpse of him, as we might do a monarch passing by on some state occasion. Through Jesus Christ we are God's friends and Christ's friends, so that neither is a stranger to us.

As we come to The Sixth Sunday of Easter, we may remind ourselves that we are people, chosen and precious in God's sight, and called to do God's work cheerfully, to love another earnestly, and to be a faithful friend of Jesus Christ, who is no longer a stranger, but our companion on the way.

In life, there are times when we choose - there are also times when we are chosen.  As we approach the end of Eastertide, let that be a salutary lesson for us.

Gracious God, as we come to each new day, with its opportunities of pleasing you, remind us of how you have chosen us, and of how we must be people of joy, people who love, and people committed to be your friends; through him who has given us access into your living presence, your Son, our risen Saviour Jesus Christ.   Amen.

A PRAYER FOR THE WEEK

Gracious God, the source of all life and love,
we ask your blessing on our world, our nation,
our community, and especially on ourselves,
with so many anxious and fearful of the future,
and where so many innocent souls still suffer....

Enfold us and surround us with your presence;
and may your saving power be at work among us
and among your people everywhere;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.   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.

Sunday 18th May 2025

EASTER 5
ABIDING IN CHRIST
 
With the marvels of modern technology, keeping in touch with other people these days should, in theory at least, be much easier than it was in previous generations.  We can now send and receive signals from space, and even from other planets, completely unthinkable to our forebears, and both during and after the pandemic, new means of communication have flourished, most especially Zoom or video links, for professional and personal purposes.

In St. John's Gospel (15: 1-8 ) much is said about 'abiding in Christ.'  This sounds like a reference to some profound mystical experience, open only to the privileged few, when in fact it refers to something that anyone can do, if they set their hearts and minds to it. At its simplest, 'abiding in Christ' means keeping in touch with the risen Lord and Saviour, referred to in the Biblical passage as 'the true vine.'  Just as branches are unable to bear ripe fruit if they become detached from the vine, the source of their energy and vitality, so Christian disciples are unable to 'bear fruit' if they become detached from Jesus Christ.

When the joy of Easter begins to fade, it is easy to wrap up Jesus once more in the pages of the Bible, and think of him as a figure of history.  To do so is to misunderstand the meaning of the resurrection.  The resurrection affirms that Jesus Christ is not someone who belongs to the past, but is a living and a powerful force in the present.  As such, Christians are called to keep in contact with him - the way, the truth and the life - so that they live or 'abide' in Christ, and he in them.

This might mean a brief prayer in the morning, before the busyness of the day begins.  It might mean a period of silence, on a hillside or at the seashore, in which to listen for the still, small voice in the calm around us. It could simply mean the quiet reading of a psalm or hymn, or other act of devotion, before the day unfolds. Indeed, it has been said that "before we do our daily duties, we ought to do our daily devotions."  If we take this seriously, what we do in a day becomes an offering of love, as well as of duty.

Are we keeping in touch with Jesus Christ?  Are we in close contact with him, and in a way that will allow us to know him and to obey him much better?  Are we making ourselves accessible to him?  Or have we let communication lapse, and (as we often do with friends) reduced contact with the Lord and Saviour of the universe?  If so, we have disengaged ourselves from 'the true vine,' and from the Christ who came to bring us life, and bring it in all its fullness.

As we come to The Fifth Sunday of Easter, we may remind ourselves of the need to 'abide in Christ,' so that Christ abides in us; and that by keeping in contact with him, we may bring glory to God, and reveal a Christ-like character to everyone around us.  Only when we keep in contact with Christ, the true vine, can we be effective and obedient disciples.  Let us resolve to do this each day, and experience his love which is new every morning.

As one modern spiritual writer has noted: "We can go into the throne room of Jesus Christ at any time.  The door is always open." 

Most gracious God, as we recall how your Son, our Saviour Christ, is the true vine, help us by your Spirit to keep in contact with him, so that we may abide in him, and he in us, now and all the days of our life; in whose name we pray.   Amen.

PRAYERS FOR THIS WEEK

Almighty God, Father of all mercies,
we, your unworthy servants,
give you most humble and hearty thanks
for all your goodness and loving kindness
to us and to all people.

We bless you for our creation, preservation,
and all the blessings of this life;
but above all for your immeasurable love
in the redemption of the world
by our Lord Jesus Christ;
who died on the Cross
and was raised by your power
to bring salvation to the world....

As we continue to celebrate Eastertide,
may Christ's risen presence come to this world,
to heal its brokenness, to purge it of hate and division,
and to restore its dignity and natural beauty....

As we continue to celebrate Eastertide,
may Christ's risen presence come to your Church,
that all who profess and call themselves Christians
may honour our Saviour with their lives,
as well as with their lips....

As we continue to celebrate Eastertide,
may Christ's risen presence come to our country,
that his life may be the inspiration of our leaders,
and that he may encourage us in our civic duties,
in accordance with his gracious will....

As we continue to celebrate Eastertide,
may Christ's risen presence come to those who are sick,
to those who suffer pain or loneliness or grief of heart,
and to those whom we quietly name in our hearts;
that his love may embrace them, his grace sustain them,
and his peace possess them, now and always....

As we continue to celebrate Eastertide,
we remember, and give thanks, O God,
for those gone before us in the faith,
who now behold Christ face to face....
May his risen presence bring us,
in the fullness of time,
with your people of every age,
to the joy of your heavenly presence;
where, with you, Father, and the Holy Spirit,
he is alive and reigns, in time and 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.

Sunday 11 May 2025

EASTER 4
THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD

The Fourth Sunday of Easter is commonly called Good Shepherd Sunday.

The image of God as a shepherd is deeply embedded in Scripture.  In the Old Testament, this is most clearly expressed in Psalm 23: "The Lord is my Shepherd" - which has been described as the world's most familiar and favourite Psalm.  According to the late Professor G.A.F. Knight, "It is the favourite of Jew, Eastern Orthodox, Western Protestant, and wistful agnostic alike."  God is pictured as the true Shepherd of his people, who leads them safely through the green pastures, and beside the still waters of this life, and finally into his eternal presence.

The image of God as a shepherd is a comfort to us.  One of the problems of modern living is fear and insecurity. In former times, society was much more settled and stable, but with the massive social, economic and cultural changes of the last two centuries, and in more recent times, there has come about a general feeling of insecurity.  In their book called Scared to Death Christopher Booker and Richard North argue that we live in an age of scares: health scares, money scares, food scares, climate scares, and so on.  From a very tender age (childhood) fear is instilled into us, leading in later life to feelings of insecurity.

Further to this is the fact that nothing seems safe nowadays.  We don't necessarily have the same job for life.  Businesses, once household names, have disappeared. Economies go up and down in cycles and are often unpredictable.  War and conflict remain a fact of life, while churches, schools, banks, post offices, factories, shops and other familiar facilities have closed, causing further insecurity and unease.

In these uncertain times, the image of God as a shepherd is a comfort to us.  It points to a God who is our ever-vigilant guardian and guide, a God who will go to outstanding lengths to protect his people. It pictures a God who will lead us through the light and shade of life, and finally bring us to his eternal presence.  We are never out of God's sight or beyond his loving care.

The shepherd may be disappearing from the Scottish countryside.  But the image of God as a shepherd should be a source of strength and inspiration.  In a fast-changing world, with its fears and feelings of insecurity, it portrays a heavenly Father who is eternally watchful, vigilant and protective of his people.  

When we feel afraid and insecure, let us rejoice that "The Lord is my Shepherd" - and find in him the lasting security and peace that only his sheep know!

"This image is so strong, so powerful, that it gives us confidence in a crisis and enables us to rise above the storm clouds of everyday life."  (Anonymous)

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Almighty and most merciful Father,
we confess that we have erred and strayed
from your ways like lost sheep.
We have broken your holy laws.
We have followed too much
the devices and desires of our own hearts.
We have left undone those things
which we ought to have done,
and done those things 
which we ought not to have done.
Pardon and deliver us from our sins.
Confirm and strengthen us in all goodness,
and bring us at last to everlasting life;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

A PRAYER FOR THIS WEEK

O God, our Shepherd and Saviour,
you first gave life to the world
and in Jesus Christ your Son
have brought us new life in him.
May this Eastertide be for us
a time of thanksgiving,
a season of celebration
and an inspiration to live each day
in the strength of the risen Christ;
in whose name we pray.   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.

Sunday 4 May 2025

EASTER 3
VE DAY COMMEMORATION
RECONCILIATION

"All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation."   2 Corinthians 5: 18

Today, on The Third Sunday of Easter, we commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE (Victory in Europe) Day on the 8th May 1945.  We remember with thanksgiving the soldiers, sailors and airmen, and also the countless civilians, who gave their lives restraining evil and opposing tyranny. We also remember those who continue to strive for peace on this continent to make the prophet Micah's vision (Micah 4: 1-4) of universal harmony much more real in our day.  We ought to be joyful today - as those who gathered on the first Victory day - glad of each other's company, and so grateful for the laughter and love that followed years of sadness and loss.  Above all, however, this day should be one of prayer for the coming of God's kingdom, and that his will may be done on earth, as it is in heaven.  

In the parable of the Prodigal Son (St. Luke 15: 18-24), we have a story relevant to this anniversary.  The prodigal son had left home, led a wild and wasteful life, squandered his inheritance and no doubt caused much family embarrassment.  Then, we are told, "he came to himself," and inspired by the spirit of repentance, he set off for home, pleading to be taken back, not as a son, but as a hired servant - as a labourer who could be hired and fired at a day's notice.  

According to the story, he never got the chance to be a hired servant.  While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was deeply moved with pity.  And so his father cast all composure and dignity to the side, and ran to greet his wayward son, throwing his arms around him and tenderly giving him a kiss.  When the penitent son was still a distance away, his father welcomed him back into the family fold with a party, and 
not a prayer-meeting.  

Such is the welcoming love of God!  The father (who is God) must have been waiting and watching for his son to return, for he saw him approaching in the distance.  When the son returned, there were no recriminations.  The father's forgiveness was absolute.   What we see may be summed up in a word: Reconciliation.  

Today is a day for reflection, thanksgiving and celebration that the noise of war fell silent over Europe eighty years ago.  But it should also be one of continuing effort to bring about reconciliation in a deeply-divided world: when nation shall speak peace unto nation, and when none shall hurt or destroy.  Is that an impossible goal?  Some will say so.  But real reconciliation among the nations today is as necessary as it ever was; just as reconciliation became the massive task in Europe after the Second World War had ended.

The late Archbishop Desmond Tutu says in one of his books that without reconciliation, without forgiveness and the renewing grace of God, made known to us in Jesus Christ, we have no future.  Reconciliation is not easy.  It involves the coming together of nations once at enmity with one another.  It requires that ancient and long-standing feuds are forgiven and forgotten.  It means that former foes unite in a new spirit of co-operation and friendship, where the power of love replaces the love of power.  Our world needs much more of the spirit of reconciliation - without it, says Desmond Tutu, there is no future for any of us.

And so today, and in this coming week, amidst the ceremonies and celebrations, let us build a spirit of welcoming love and reconciliation into the fabric of our life, and thereby honour in a constructive way what others did on our behalf.  Let us pledge ourselves to reconciliation, for as John M. Perkins, the American Christian minister, activist and author affirms: "The work of reconciliation never ends - it is what we were created in Christ to do."  For reconciliation is at the very heart of the Christian Gospel.

Recalling VE Day as a 12-year old boarding school girl, Lady (Anne) Glenconner, in her latest book, Lady Glenconner's Picnic Papers (2024), makes a salutary point: "Never again, we said. Yet here we are." Yes, here we are, with wars in Ukraine, Gaza and other places, as if the world is once more in a perilous state, or on the brink of one.  This only reinforces the point: Reconciliation is the word for our day!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

O Lord our God,
as we mark this special anniversary,
teach us once more the blessings of peace,
and give us grace to work and pray
for reconciliation among peoples and nations,
that our future may be built,
not on the love of power, but on the power of love;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

A PRAYER FOR THIS WEEK

Almighty God, source of all goodness,
from whom all thoughts of truth and peace proceed:
as we celebrate this special anniversary,
kindle in the hearts of all people the true love of peace,
and guide with your pure and peaceable wisdom
those who lead the nations of the earth,
that in a spirit of forgiveness and reconciliation
your kingdom may go forward and increase among us;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

THE BLESSING

God, grant to the living, grace;
to the departed, rest;
to the Church, the King, the Commonwealth,
and to all peoples and nations, 
peace and concord,
and to us and all his servants, life everlasting.
And the blessing of God Almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among us, and remain with us always.   Amen.

Sunday 27 April 2025

EASTER 2
THOMAS THE TWIN
DOUBTER OR ENQUIRER?

If Judas Iscariot will always be remembered as the disciple who betrayed Jesus, Thomas the Twin will always be branded the one who refused to believe that Jesus had been raised from the dead, until Jesus's wounds had been revealed to him.

His story is a well-known one.  Later on that day on which Jesus had been raised, Thomas wasn't with the disciples when they gathered behind locked doors, fearing that the Jewish authorities would now come after them with a vengeance.  A week later, Thomas was with the disciples when they met again, and when Jesus came and stood among them, giving them his blessing: "Peace be with you!"

At this point, Jesus invited Thomas to touch his wounds and see the marks of the crucifixion for himself.  We are uncertain as to whether Thomas did exactly as Jesus had directed, but what we do know is that Thomas exclaimed, "My Lord and my God!" - words of uninhibited adoration, acknowledging the figure before him as the Jesus he had known.

It may be said in Thomas's defence that he had one outstanding virtue.  He absolutely refused to say that he understood something when clearly he did not.  There is "an uncompromising honesty" about him, in that Thomas would never suppress his doubts to please the majority, pretending that they did not exist.  He was not a person to accept a story at face value, least of all the sensational claim that Jesus Christ had been raised from the dead.  In this respect, we can admire his integrity.

We live in an age where information bombards us on a daily basis.  We are fed so much data on so many subjects that it is difficult to distinguish fact from fiction. We could easily absorb everything we see, read and hear, without giving any thought to its plausibility, by suspending sound judgment and accepting the whole at face value.

How much of our daily diet of data and other information is true?  How much of it is propaganda, or a subtle spinning of the truth for particular purposes, to persuade us that things are other than they are?

It has been said that Thomas represents "the awkward squad" among the disciples, with his questioning and hesitation to accept what he did not fully understand - the Resurrection being something he felt too good to be true.  In an age of mass information and misinformation, we ought to see Thomas as one who encourages us to question what has not been thought out, and to reach our conclusions only after rigorous scrutiny.  Through such scrutiny, doubts are often transformed into certainties.

Thomas has been named "an honest enquirer," in preference to "a doubting disciple."  Would we agree?  Or is he one of "the awkward squad," who make life difficult today by their constant questioning?

A PRAYER IN MOMENTS OF DOUBT

Risen Master, help us, like your apostle Thomas, to be  honest enough to admit our doubts and not to affect a
faith we do not possess; and enable us, like him, so to
experience your living presence and power, that our 
doubts may be dissolved and we may inherit the
blessing promised to those who have not seen you 
and yet trust in you, our Lord and our God.   Amen.

From:   Frank Colquhoun, Contemporary Parish Prayers,
             London 1975, 83

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.

Sunday 20 April 2025

EASTER DAY
THE END OF THE BEGINNING
A THOUGHT ON THE RESURRECTION

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 arguably it was 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.  Any crucifixion was a horrific spectacle.

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 lay it 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.  This is seen today in the removal of Christian symbols from public buildings and places, and in the widespread understanding of Jesus as an ordinary figure and nothing else - someone around whom much myth and superstition have developed.  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. 

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 lives and in the course of events.  Even in the post-Covid world of today, Jesus is said by many to be present 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. They were wrong.  It was only the end of the beginning.  That is why we rejoice on Easter Day with glad and thankful hearts

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

Christ was raised from the dead
by the glorious power of the Father.
Send us out, then, on a new life with Christ.
And the blessing of God Almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among us, and remain with us always.
Amen.

Saturday 19 April 2025

HOLY SATURDAY
EASTER EVE

"In stillness Earth awaits the Resurrection."

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 in whatever way, whom we prayerfully commend to God's care, in the faith that, through Jesus Christ, "death has no more dominion over them."  We also remember our own loved ones, who now see Christ face to face, and we look with compassion and gentleness on all who mourn this day.

(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 thought: 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 and other well-meaning but long overdue and hollow tributes.

Friday 18 April 2025

A THOUGHT FOR GOOD FRIDAY
GOD'S VACCINE

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.

At this moment, people with certain medical issues are being invited to receive Covid-19 vaccine.  This is to protect those who are at increased risk of serious illness from the virus.  The virus has not disappeared: there are occasional cases in this country, and in other parts of the world; and the virus still holds victims in its grip. It is often said that as one virus is eradicated, another is waiting and ready to take its place.

There is indeed a 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, otherwise an 'an act of God.'

While scientists, researchers and others have brought hope 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.

At Eastertide in France, there is a short phrase sometimes written on the walls of buildings, or on the sides of buses and other public service vehicles. This phrase is also recited or chanted in churches, or simply used as an Easter greeting.  The phrase reads: "L'amour de Dieu est folie!", meaning that "The love of God is folly, or foolish!"  

This is because it might have been easier for God to redeem the world by some other means.  Instead, God gave his only Son to deal with the virus of human sin by embracing the world, with arms outstretched on a Cross. Foolish?  Perhaps.  But further to this, by giving Jesus to die on the Cross, God has dealt with the virus that finally afflicts us all - the virus we call Death.  The love of God may be reckless and foolish.  But that love has transformed the virus of Death into the gift of Eternal Life.

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 as the one who offers us eternal life;; 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 our days.   Amen.

Holy Week

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 13 April 2025

LENT 6
PALM SUNDAY
JESUS, THE UNEXPECTED ONE!

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

The 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 the city and the surrounding district were packed 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 a setting highly charged with emotion - a hotbed, as we might say.

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 means 'Save now!' - a cry for help from oppressed people for 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 once 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 quickly 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 came 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.  How fickle is human nature!

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 sovereign 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.

A PRAYER FOR PALM SUNDAY

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 6 April 2025

LENT 5
THE ANOINTING AT BETHANY
PASSIONTIDE BEGINS
 
In the Christian Year, the Fifth Sunday of Lent is usually 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 this action, denouncing it as sheer waste, and insisting that this costly perfume might have been sold and the proceeds given to the poor. Jesus silenced Judas, reminding him that there would always be an 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 she would never again be seen in public with her long locks flowing. In first 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? Would we do as Mary did?
 
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.
 
PRAYERS FOR PASSIONTIDE
 
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.
 
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. 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 30 March 2025

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, together with the cost of that love.

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.

PRAYERS FOR MOTHERING SUNDAY

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.

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 23 March 2025

LENT 3
WHO IS JESUS CHRIST?

These days the question of identity has assumed a new significance.  There has arisen a strong emphasis on national identity, while personal identity, and the need to prove who we are, is crucial in protecting our security.  It is claimed that identity theft has become 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 very 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 importance or eternal significance.  If we accept Jesus as a mere mortal and nothing more, Christianity is reduced to an attractive social and moral creed. "Christ is shorn of his cosmic stature," as one observer has put it.

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 among 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.

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 Lord.   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 16 March 2025

LENT 2
A TIME FOR PENITENCE

As we have already noted, Lent was historically a season for fasting and for some form of self-denial.  For many Christians today, Lent still has this focus, while others prefer to practise alternative means of self-discipline and devotion.  When God, through the prophet Joel (2:13), urges his people to rend their hearts and not their garments, God is pleading with them, not to tear their clothing, but to surrender their hearts to him, giving God unyielding devotion and unfailing obedience. Repentance is urgently needed: through his prophet, God calls his wayward people to forsake their evil ways and return to their true faith in him.

"Repentance" is one of the great words of Lent, and this forty-day period leading to Easter was, and remains, a time for penitence of heart, mind and spirit.  Lent is a penitential season, the seriousness of which is indicated by its purple colour and solemn character. Lent is a time for Christians to do what the Book of Lamentations prescribes: "to search and examine their ways, and turn again to the Lord."  In all branches of the Christian Church, Lent was a time for rigorous self-examination, and to seek God's grace to effect a transformation in life, bringing about spiritual growth and renewal.  The Roman Catholic and Anglican Church still take this seriously, and to some extent so does the Reformed tradition.  Some years ago, at a Lenten Quiet Day (retreat) in Dunfermline, a student in training for the ministry of the Church of Scotland, assigned to a parish in Argyll for practical training, said how they had declined a delicious dinner on the grounds that they were fasting for Lent, as an act of penitence, and to assist their spiritual growth.

Lent was, and remains, a season for "repentance," whether through fasting or some other act of contrition.  And, historically, the Christian Church has taken "repentance" seriously.  As such, the "confiteor," the prayer of confession, has been a significant component in Christian worship, usually placed (in the Reformed tradition) close to, or just after the prayer of approach or adoration, near the beginning of a service.  By "repentance," we do not simply mean remorse or regret, or a deep-rooted feeling of being sorry.  In the Biblical sense, true repentance means much more than feeling sorry.  It is not, as someone has put it, simply "a mental game."  True repentance is a complete change of direction.  In Christianity, it is a life-changing experience: a sincere turning away, in both the heart and mind, from self to God.  It involves a change of direction that leads to action - the complete turning away from a sinful path to a God-inspired one. 

Someone convicted of a crime is often said to have expressed remorse, or little or no remorse for their misdemeanour.  But true repentance goes much further than a guilt complex.  It means a radical U-turn in life, a transformation so radical in its effect that it can only be compared to a new birth - a complete revolution in outlook and action.  True repentance is not, as someone as put it, "a public relations exercise," something undertaken simply to impress others, but a sincere transformation of heart, mind and spirit towards a God-centered life.

The Very Rev. Dr. David Steel, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1974, and for many years minister at Linlithgow St. Michael's Church (father of Lord Steel, former leader of the Liberal Democrats) says in his book, Preaching Through The Year, that so far as "repentance" is concerned, the new life made possible through the grace of Jesus Christ ought to be a preacher's duty and delight to proclaim at Lent.  Lent is the opportunity to preach "repentance" (metanoia) in its Christian context and thereby maintain the traditional role of the Lenten season. According to David Steel, the "penitential" character of Lent should not be diminished or discarded.

Does the Church still take "repentance" seriously, or is this outmoded theology?  (A minister once said that "repentance" was a subject rarely, if ever, preached on, for the reason that many people, including Christians, believe that they have nothing of which to repent).

If the ancient rites of Lent, such as fasting and dressing up in sackcloth and ashes, no longer have any relevance in contemporary Christianity, is there any purpose we may apply to this holy season?  Has the concept of "repentance" outlived its meaning in the 21st century?  Or is this something we must do more than ever - personally, nationally and internationally?  In short: is the time for penitence ripe or long past?

A PRAYER FOR PENITENCE

O God, by whose grace we mark these holy days
of Lent, set apart for our spiritual nourishment and
growth in grace: may this be a season of penitence
for us, when we search and examine our ways, and
turn once more to you; and as we sincerely repent
of our sins and shortcomings, our faults and failings,
and all our many offences against you, grant us your
forgiveness, cleanse us by your grace, renew us by
your Spirit, and enfold us in your love, now and always;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

THE BLESSING

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

Sunday 9 March 2025

LENT 1
THE WILDERNESS DAYS

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.

Jesus did not, however, go there out of choice and by his own volition. According to the Biblical narrative, Jesus was led by the Spirit into this desolate place where he was tested.  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, jump 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 ongoing 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, once said: "The only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it."

In his collection of recollections and essays, How To Be A Christian, C.S. Lewis says: "The Christian is called not to individualism but to membership in the mystical body."  What he means is that there is within Christianity today a strong temptation to regard the faith as something belonging to our private life: "an occupation for the individual's hour of leisure."  No Christian can accept this, he says, claiming that the New Testament knows nothing of solitary religion, and that "we are forbidden to neglect the assembling of ourselves together."  Christianity, as evidenced from its earliest documents, is corporate:: it is not a pastime for religious enthusiasts.  The Church is the Body of Christ and we are members of one another. Yet the temptation to see Christianity in an individualistic way is a fashionable one in modern times.

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 height 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 lonely 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 escape the horrors of Calvary.  After his lengthy struggle in the wilderness, Jesus's encounters with the tempter were not finished.

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.

Ash Wednesday: 5 March 2025

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 give 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 keeping with the penitential nature of this season the liturgical colour (as with Advent) is purple.

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 claimed that people today are so self-assured that they are now convinced 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.  

"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 2 March 2025

​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 times of crisis, 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 religious (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 grace, acquire this radiance and serenity.

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 renewed 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.

THE BLESSING

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

Sunday 23 February 2025

THE SECOND SUNDAY BEFORE LENT
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 harshest 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 Gamaliel 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 on 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 the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and the war in the Ukraine, now in its third year. Intemperate language will do nothing to heal these situations.  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.  As we come closer to Lent, we may give Gamaliel some thought.

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.

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 16 February 2025

THE THIRD SUNDAY BEFORE LENT
OUR MERCIFUL GOD

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

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. 

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 an afflicted woman on the Sabbath, who had suffered from a back ailment for eighteen years.  By doing so, Jesus had undertaken a form of work, breaching the strict legal code that forbade all labour on the holiest of days. The watching crowd rejoiced, as 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, forgiveness and understanding must take priority over the demands of a moral or legal code, and when human beings ought to be treated as people who bear God's image, deserving 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 affirms 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.

It was Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount, who said that the 'merciful' would receive a blessing, and that divine favour would be upon them.  Those showing mercy would in turn receive it. As in the modern world, when mercy is so often in short supply, so in the world of Jesus to be 'merciful' meant going against the prevailing spirit of the age.  Those who embrace the rule, the kingdom of God, are called to be 'merciful,' for mercy is a sure and certain sign of God's reign.

To be 'merciful,' in the Biblical sense, means there are times when a 'generosity of spirit' is much more helpful than a strict, legalistic approach to a particular situation.  To be sympathetic, understanding, patient, forgiving and forbearing can be much more fruitful than harsh regulation, judgment or punishment. To some, showing mercy may seem a sign of weakness.  But that is exactly what Jesus did in the Biblical story and upset the staunch legalists in the process.  The 'merciful' not only radiate 'a generosity of spirit' - they help build 'a community of grace' on the foundation of love, forgiveness and a genuine concern for others.  Most of all, the Christian disciple who is 'merciful' shows the mercy of Jesus Christ himself, and that mercy which ultimately belongs to God.

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 to him personally. 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 approach Lent, the season of spiritual preparation that leads to Easter, we may think carefully about 'mercy' and its application in a merciless world, and so be among the 'merciful' to whom our Lord has promised a blessing. It is arguably 'mercy,' in the Biblical sense of that word, that we need so much today, when human cruelty is everywhere around us, and where compassion, forgiveness and grace are in short supply.

"The supreme instance of mercy... is the coming of God in Jesus Christ."
(William Barclay)

A PRAYER FOR THIS WEEK

Merciful God, in whom we live and move
and have our being: as we soon approach
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 at this
time of turmoil, bring healing, health and
wholeness to us all; and when our days
are over and our work done, take us through
the heavenly gate to live with you for ever;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

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 9 February 2025

​THE FOURTH SUNDAY BEFORE LENT
TENDING THE GARDEN

Scientists at the European Copernicus Climate Service have recently reported that January 2025 was the warmest on record, though they are unable to give a specific reason as to why this should be so.  Does it reflect the pace of climatic change, or are other factors responsible?  No doubt their research will inform us.

Whatever the case, our somewhat mixed winter weather has not been too harsh on our plant life.  Snowdrops are now appearing in gardens, and in some milder, coastal areas, the daffodils are through the ground and in bloom. Indeed, our gardens will soon require attention, whether clearing away fallen branches, leaves and other debris, or simply giving them a mid-winter 'tidying up.'

In the Book of Genesis (2: 4-15), Adam, the first person God created, is placed in a garden: the Garden of Eden. But Adam is not put there to entertain himself, and use this place as one of recreation and rest.  God gives him a task: he is charged with the responsibility of maintaining that garden, or tilling or tending it, or, as we might say, of keeping it 'up to scratch.'  Adam is not permitted to roam around in idleness.  Adam is required to work.

Adam represents Everyman or Everyperson - he is each one of us.  And the point this story is making is that in life, we have a duty to work, a duty which comes from God, our creator.  Our work is a calling, a vocation, an offering, an instrument by which we till the garden of the world, and help bring about God's kingdom.  Our work has a God-given dignity, and in the garden of today's world, the most menial of tasks has a sanctity about it. Whether we are retired, or in full-time employment, all our work, our industry, our labour is intended to give glory to God.  Work is an essential part of our humanity.

The hymn writer, Ernest Edward Dugmore, grasped this in the opening lines of one of his hymns:  "Almighty Father of all things that be, Our life, our work, we consecrate to thee."

Whatever task we are called to do, God has made the garden of the world in such a way that it can only become a paradise when we take our labour seriously, and till or tend the garden as best we can, and as we have opportunity to do so.

John Calvin, the Geneva-based Church Reformer, passionately believed in the significance of the Christian work ethic, whereby every Christian has a divine duty to serve God in the world.  Calvin gave ordinary, everyday tasks a new significance, and a new meaning.  For Calvin, all human labour is God-focussed, not just our religious duties and devotions, if we use it for his glory.  Those who undertake the most mundane tasks on our behalf are doing God's work as much as any cleric, or someone in the professions.  The simplest occupation is pleasing to God when applied to the divine purpose.  The dignity of human labour is thus central to Calvin's thought, to Reformed thinking, and to Christian faith and practice.

In the story from Genesis, Adam is placed by God in a garden: the Garden of Eden.  He was called, not to idleness but to work - to till or tend that special place and keep it 'up to scratch'.

Do we take this seriously today?  Do we consecrate our work as well as our life, to the glory of God - the God who created the heavens and the earth - and gave us this world as his garden?  Do we see our work, however menial, as a means of advancing God's kingdom and improving this garden granted by his grace?

In the Christian Year, we are progressing towards Lent, that season set apart for serious self-examination.  As we reflect on our lives, let us make our labour, whatever form it takes, an offering of love to God, a means of giving him glory.  Let us till or tend the garden God has given us as our home with commitment and constant care, and make this divided world the garden of the Lord!

A PRAYER FOR THE DAY

O God our creator and redeemer,
whose gift to us is this new day:
we praise you for safely bringing us
out of sleep, to see the morning light,
and for the opportunities before us
of pleasing and serving you.
May all that we do this day, 
and in the coming week,
be an offering of love, 
as well as an offering of duty.
Bless our work, our labour
and all our industry; and may
all that we do, high or humble,
be for your greater glory;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

A PRAYER FOR THE DIGNITY OF WORK

Almighty God, Father of all mercies,
you have granted us the dignity of labour
to tend the garden of the world,
to preserve its fabric day by day
and maintain the welfare of its people.
Make us committed and conscientious
in everything we do, and may all our work
flourish and prosper with your blessing,
so that our earthly home becomes like a garden, 
a place of peace and beauty blessed by you;
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 2 February 2025

THOUGHTS ON 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 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 solid 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 injury and needless deaths caused by crime and mindless violence, or of lives lost in conflict, or by other deliberate and cruel means, to conclude that in our day human life is regarded by many as only a commodity - a product that can readily be ill-treated or dispensed with.  Our modern age doesn't always see human life as having a divine significance.

The present Covid-19 Inquiry points to the value placed on human life by those who lost loved ones as a consequence of the virus, and who rightly want some explanation as to how procedures were employed to try and bring the virus under control.  Their emotional interviews show that they do not regard human life as a commodity, but something sacrosanct and not to be treated as having no intrinsic value.

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."

PRAYERS FOR CANDLEMAS

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.

Almighty and ever-living God,
whose beloved Son
was at this time 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.

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 26 January 2025

CHRIST AND 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."

The Burns Supper season is well underway, with traditional celebrations taking place here and across the world.  Whether or not we celebrate the Bard's life and work, we can still take 'culture' as a theme to explore in our Sunday message.

Modern life never ceases to place demands on us.  For two years, governments placed demands on us to bring the Covid pandemic under control.  Civil law places demands on us. Our bosses 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 a much more Christ-like 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 Christian mind is a room that deserves only the very best of furniture," not the trivial 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 Christ-like culture among them.  Throughout history, there has been an intimate connection between Christianity and culture - the Christian Church has influenced our social services, education, science, medicine, art, architecture, music, politics, religion and a host of other areas of life.  We may not be aware of this, but Christianity has had an enormous influence on the cultural ethos of Western society, and even if attempts are made in our day to separate them, the historic link cannot be denied.  The finest minds, equipped with the most Christ-like furniture, have had a profound effect on our civilisation, and we would do well to learn from this and make the world a much better, safer and happier place for everyone.

Does our mind contain only the very best of furniture? Does our thinking stand in need of replacement and repair?  Does the pursuit of excellence and virtue mean little or nothing today?

"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 his demand to focus our minds only on the right things; and by our thoughts and actions, not only preserve our integrity of character, but encourage a much more Christ-like culture to flourish among us.

Christian thinking always demands the noblest and the best.  

"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 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 19 January 2025

THE THIRD SUNDAY OF THE YEAR
THE MARRIAGE FEAST

"The world was deformed, but Jesus Christ transformed." So said an anonymous spiritual writer who also remarked: "Jesus Christ is still in the miracle-making business, and that business is the business of transformation."            _____________________________________

At this early stage in the new year, ministers are often contacted about forthcoming marriage services.  One of the several factors that determines the date is the choice and the availability of the venue for the wedding reception.  

According to St. John's Gospel (2: 1-12), 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 appears to have been active 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." *

In other words, 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,' we see Jesus as the one who transforms for the better every person, situation and occasion, a fact we ought to keep in mind as we pass through dark moments and difficult days.  As Leith Fisher puts it in one of his hymns, Christ is our joy - the "transforming wedding guest."

At this particular time, there are many dark and difficult moments in our lives.  One observer has said that "the whole world seems to be passing through a period of disruption and depression," causing many to lose hope and lapse into despair.  In such a dire situation, it is surely a blessing to know that God in Christ can transform by his power the chaos of our times into a new era of stability.  The New Testament points to a God whose power, at work in Jesus Christ, can transform the worst in human experience into something positive and creative, and ultimately destroy the forces of darkness and death.

Seen in this context,  the story of the wedding reception is 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. 

Let that be an inspiration to us as we step out further into the days of this new year.

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

A PRAYER FOR THE DAY

"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.

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

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 with us, now and always.   Amen.

Sunday 12 January 2025

THE SECOND SUNDAY OF CHRISTMAS
THE EARLY YEARS

Of Jesus's early years, we know virtually nothing, apart from an incident recorded in St. Luke's Gospel (2: 41-52) when he was twelve years old.  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 the unexpected happened.  When his parents had 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.

What does this indicate?  That the early years of Jesus's life were spent entirely in his father's workshop at Nazareth?  In his early life, was Jesus what we might call "a trainee craftsman?"  Or does his debate with the learned of the day point to something else?  It has been suggested that if Jesus was so intellectually gifted at the age of twelve, some or all of his early life must have been spent as a student, as a learner, taking in the weighty matters of his day and forming his opinions about them.  We cannot say for certain, but a measure of study under the Rabbis seems likely.

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.  The truth is that 'the child grew.'

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 allow his life to 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 follow him, so that by following him we grow with him.

A PRAYER FOR THE NEW YEAR

Almighty and ever living 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 5 January 2025

THE FIRST SUNDAY OF THE YEAR
A NEW BEGINNING

"The Lord God has been our refuge
throughout all generations: from everlasting
     to everlasting, he is our God."
​
There can be few of us who approach the New Year without giving thought to the year that has ended.  Some will reflect on 2024 and find something for which to be grateful.  Others will see last year as an annus horribilis - a year of war, conflict, civil and industrial unrest, as well as personal problems, and best consigned to history.

"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 2024 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 2025 a year of new beginnings, weaving our way through it with strong faith, and that inner peace only God in Jesus Christ can give.

With every blessing and best wish to you all in 2025!

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