A Thought for the week Archive

Sunday 24th May 2026

THE DAY OF PENTECOST

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

(In Western Christianity, Pentecost was one of the days set aside for Baptism.  It is thought that the term Whit Sunday derives from the custom of the newly-baptised wearing white clothing, and from the white vestments worn by the clergy).

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, both 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 may 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.

Edwin Warren Hatch (1835-1889) was an English theologian and scholar, more popularly known as the writer of the hymn, Breathe on me, Breath of God.  First published privately in 1878, it was published publicly in 1886, and the opening verse is a personal prayer that we may well make our own in the journey of life.  

Our daily prayer might therefore be the first verse of that hymn:

"Breathe on me, Breath of God;
fill me with life anew,
that I may love the way you love,
and do what you would do."

Let it be our prayer that Pentecost will happen again, and keep on happening, thereby 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.

PRAYERS FOR PENTECOST

Come, Holy Spirit, come,
and fill the hearts of your faithful people,
and kindle in them 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 17th May 2026

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." Jesus 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.

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

PRAYERS FOR THIS WEEK

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 10th May 2026

​EASTER 6
ON BEING 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, but were 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 radiant people - joyful 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 mayhem 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 that 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 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 close 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 3rd May 2026

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 truly dynamic 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 each 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 serve 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 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." 

Let us enter that door each day and find our souls, and our lives refreshed and renewed!

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,
   giver of every good and perfect gift: 

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 surround 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 see 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 26th April 2026

EASTER 4
FAITH AND RISK

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

One of the loveliest images in the Bible is the picture of God as a 'shepherd.' and in Psalm 23 this image finds its powerful, poetic and popular expression.  'The Lord is my shepherd' is arguably the most loved of the Psalms, with its strong pastoral overtones.  And in the New Testament, in St. John's Gospel (10. 11), Jesus makes the bold claim that he is the 'good shepherd.'  In a rural area like our own, this 'shepherd imagery' is one we may easily identify with.

In St. John's Gospel (21: 15-19), Jesus assigned a special role to Peter, and told him to go and be a shepherd to our Lord's people.  In other words, Peter was appointed to be a great shepherd of Christ's flock, and in the end to die for them.  This must have come as a surprise to the others - for Peter had previously denied his Master three times, though Jesus now gave him a chance to affirm his loyalty three times.  

Throughout the ministry of Jesus, Peter had not always distinguished himself as a potential shepherd of Christ's flock.  He often thought, spoke and acted without thinking. He tended to act on impulse, and earned the rebuke of Jesus on several occasions.  He must have seemed a most unreliable, unpredictable character: one who meant well, but whose life was tainted with personal failures and who didn't always get things right.

For Jesus, the choice of Peter as a 'shepherd' of the 
sheep must have involved risk.  Jesus knew Peter's  weaknesses, but this did not deter him from choosing Peter to 'feed the sheep.'  This was a great act of faith on Jesus' s part.  

Can we separate risk from faith?  It has been said that every act of faith involves an element of risk, and that many great Christians of the past and present have, in expressing their faith, exposed themselves to enormous risk in doing so.  Countless Christians have practised their faith, often at great risk to their reputation, and even to their life.  Those persecuted today for their faith inhabit a world of constant risk; and so it might be said that faith and risk are not easily separated.

When Jesus appointed the unpredictable Peter to go and be a 'shepherd' to Christ's flock, he inevitably took a great act of faith that involved risk.  His character was hardly one that would make him a natural Christian leader.  Yet Jesus's action transformed the impulsive Peter into an excellent ambassador for the Gospel.

On this Good Shepherd Sunday, it is worth reminding ourselves that faith often means risk-taking, and that both the Church and the present-day world need the risk-takers to mould it, manage and maintain it.

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

O Lord Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd of your flock:
as we commit our lives to your guidance and protection,
grant that we may not fear the dangers of the way, nor
the dangers of this day, but faithfully follow wherever
you lead, and fulfil our journey in your strength, and
with trustful hearts; for your name's sake.   Amen.

A PRAYER OF CONFESSION

Almighty and most merciful Father, we have erred and
strayed from your ways like lost sheep.  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 we have done those things which we ought not to have
done, and there is no health in us.
   Have mercy upon us, O Lord.
   Pardon and deliver us from all our sins.
   Confirm and strengthen us in all goodness;
   and bring us to everlasting life;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

From:   New Every Morning (New Edition),
            London 1982, 106

PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION

Lord God Almighty, whose Son Jesus Christ is the Good
Shepherd of your people:
   may he lead your Church in faith, hope and love;
   may he lead the nations in harmony and peace;
   may he lead this country in the right paths;
   may he lead our community in compassion and care;
   may he lead the weary to lie down in your pastures;
   may he lead the sick, the suffering and the sorrowing
    to the still, quiet waters of healing and calm;
and may he lead us all to your heavenly kingdom,
   where, with your people of every age,
   our dwelling-place shall be;
all for his name's sake.   Amen.

THE BENEDICTION

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 19th April 2026

EASTER 3
ONE NIGHT'S FISHING

For many people, fishing is a favourite pursuit.  Indeed, Scotland has many fine rivers to attract the fishing-inclined, such as the Spey, the Stinchar, the Girvan, the Nith and the Tweed.  Fishing was, and still remains, an essential part of the Scottish economy, with fishing ports round our coastline, though many of them were more prosperous in previous times.

In St. John's Gospel (21: 1-12), there is a story about a fishing expedition. After the death of Jesus, some of his disciples returned to their previous occupation, and once again became fishermen.  Encouraged by Simon Peter, they decided one night to go out on a boat on the Sea of Tiberias. Their efforts failed, and they caught nothing. Then Jesus - unrecognised - came and stood on the shore the next morning.  He told the despondent fishermen to cast their net to the right-side of the boat, assuring them they would make a catch.

The disciples did as Jesus directed them, and the net was so full of fish and so heavy that it had to be 'dragged' from the boat to the shore.  This task was given to Simon Peter, and we can only imagine the exhaustion he must have felt at undertaking this work.  We are also given a precise number: 153 fish in total, of all different shapes and sizes; yet the net did not break under the strain.

What are we to make of this story?  According to one New Testament scholar, this is a story about a fishing expedition, but not fundamentally a story about fish. Ingenious explanations have been given to try and  interpret the meaning of the number 153, some of them like difficult mathematical equations.  Perhaps the simplest explanation lies in the number 153 - the fish being of all shapes and sizes  - symbolising the truth that the love, the grace and the goodness of God are not meant for the select few, for "those and such as those," but for everyone - for people of all nations.  God's love is universal.  We can accept or reject it.  Such is our choice.  But God's love is universal and is not simply for those who think they are entitled to it, and is theirs by right.

It is said that in this story, we have a clear demonstration of the sheer immensity of God's love, as revealed in Jesus Christ after the resurrection.  It has to be said that there are sects or cults today who passionately believe that God's favour is entirely for them and for them alone.  God loves them and no-one else.  God's love is their entitlement and their possession.  It is claimed, however, that the story of this fishing expedition, with an overwhelming catch of 153 fish of all shapes and sizes, points beyond sea creatures to the universal love of God which embraces all nations and all people.  

In the net of God's love today, there is room for everyone.  That net will never break, and none need ever feel excluded or rejected.  That net will never tear or be shredded.  And here will always be plenty of space in it for more. As one spiritual writer puts it:  "The net of God's love is wider than any ocean, and open to more souls than we could ever imagine. The net will never be too fragile to accommodate!"

PRAYERS FOR TODAY

Gracious God, in whose net of love
there is room for people of all nations:
help us cast this net across a troubled
world, that in the fullness of time,
people of every race and place
may discover that unbreaking net
and show forth your love in their lives;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

O God, as the fishermen of old went out
and returned with a mighty catch, help us by
our worship, work and Christian witness
to bring others into your net of love
and to know Jesus Christ as Saviour
and Lord.; to whom be glory for ever.  Amen.

THE BLESSING

May the blessing of God Almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
come and rest upon us
and upon all our work and worship
done in his name.
May he give us light to guide us,
courage to support us,
and love to unite us,
now and for evermore.   Amen.

Sunday 12th April 2026

EASTER 2
THE MIND-CHANGING DISCIPLE

There are times in life when we have 'second thoughts' about one thing or another.  These may involve reservations about a previous action or decision, or the revision of a passionately held conviction in the light of new evidence or personal reflection.

This was undoubtedly true with Thomas, disciple of Jesus.  St. John's Gospel tells us that Thomas was not with the Twelve, when they came together in a room on the evening of that first Easter Day.  For Thomas, the whole story of Jesus having been raised from the dead was too much to accept without critical enquiry and direct personal experience.

Eight days later, however, Thomas was with the Twelve when they met once more in that room.  There and then, Jesus invited him to come forward and touch his wounded hands and side.  During that week, Thomas had 'second thoughts' -  doubting his doubts  - and on seeing Jesus, his heart overflowed in love and devotion, exclaiming: "My Lord and my God!" 

Having 'second thoughts' may be regarded as a weakness, rather than a virtue. Rethinking a previously, and passionately held conviction, can cause offence, and invite ungracious comment.  The English poet, William Shenstone, said in derision that "'second thoughts oftentimes are the very worst of all thoughts."

Thomas shows us today how 'second thoughts' can be recognised as a blessing. Through his own mental revision he cast off doubts about the Resurrection, and came in person to acknowledge Jesus Christ as "My Lord and my God!"  There is no shame in having 'second thoughts.' J.M. Barrie, the Scottish novelist and playwright, who penned Peter Pan, said: "I have often found that the man whose second thoughts are good is worth watching!"  The classical Greek playwright, Euripides, said that "among mortals second thoughts are wisest," while Martin van Buren, American President from 1837 until 1841, warned that government should not be guided by temporary excitement, but by sober second thought.

Thomas proves the point: his 'second thoughts' were good, and make him worth watching.  They transformed a sceptic into a servant of Christ, and he remains a witness to the power of 'second thoughts' today.  He is beyond doubt 'the mind-changing disciple.'  The search for truth is all important, and fresh insights, even if they involve abandoning earlier positions, ought to be welcomed than feared.

PRAYERS FOR TODAY

Gracious God, as on this day
we remember your servant Thomas,
we pray for those who like him
find it hard to believe, hard to pray
and hard to accept the resurrection
of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ....

We pray for those whose faith has faded;

for those who have lost the faith they once
possessed, that once sustained them;
for those who are unable to trust your
promises; for those who see no meaning
or purpose to life....

May your Holy Spirit transform their doubts
into conviction; and by having second thoughts,
may they find joy and peace in believing, with
a new and exciting vision of your love, here
and in every place....

We ask this prayer through Jesus Christ,
our risen, victorious Saviour.   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,
working in us that which is well-pleasing in his sight;
and the blessing of God Almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among us this Eastertide,
and remain with us always.   Amen.

Sunday 5th April 2026

EASTER DAY
THE STORY CONTINUES

"The Lord is risen!  He is risen indeed!"

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 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, people must have thought they had seen and heard the last of him.  

For those of that outlook, the resurrection was far too good to be true. The story of the empty tomb was so staggering it simply could not be true.  It must be a hoax or contrived to assuage the grief of Jesus's followers.  Thus, in St. Matthew's Gospel (28:11-15), we find that when some of the guards at the tomb came with this story to the Jewish authorities, the powers-that-be were deeply disturbed, and resolved to 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.  Even Biblical scholars have attempted to prove that Jesus never existed, and that the supposed knowledge we have of him is 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 in lives and in the course of events.  In the Covid world, Jesus was said to have been present, particularly among the suffering and the sorrowing; and in every circumstance of our time he is present with us, revealing the power of the love of God for us all - a love 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.  The story of Jesus Christ continues.  That is why we rejoice today with glad and thankful hearts!

Point to ponder:

"When God is written off and finally buried and a great stone is put in front of his sepulchre, he can find his way out again.  This is the good news from that graveyard (the Garden of Gethsemane), whether or not it makes tomorrow's newspapers.  There are many distressed, bereaved and frightened people who need to know that."  Colin Morris, God in the Shower, London 2002, 114

In other words, the story of Jesus Christ continues...

A happy, healthy and peaceful Easter to you all!

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

THE BLESSING

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

Saturday 4th April 2026

​HOLY SATURDAY
EASTER EVE

"Easter Saturday is the quiet pause between sorrow and joy - a reminder that even in stillness, hope is already blooming."

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 kindness on all who mourn this day.

(A moment for quiet reflection) 

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.  We might have seen him as someone belonging to the establishment.  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 well-meaning but long overdue tributes and hollow gestures.

Grant, Lord, 
that we who are baptised into the death
of your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ
may continually put to death our evil desires
and be buried with him;
that through the grave and gate of death
we may pass to our joyful resurrection,
through his merits, who died and was buried
and rose again for us,
your Son Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

1928 Prayer Book (adapted)

Friday 3rd April 2026

A THOUGHT FOR GOOD FRIDAY
GOD'S REMEDY

"Christ Jesus humbled himself for us; and in obedience he accepted death, even death on a Cross!"

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

At this moment, the various seasonal viruses are in circulation. Medical professionals are providing prescriptions to treat those afflicted with all kinds of symptoms, though some viruses are left until they disappear in their own time.  We live in a world of viruses, and it is said that as one virus is eradicated, there is another one waiting and ready to take its place.

There is a particular virus which has infected this world, and is known by various names, the traditional label 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 work to bring hope to a virus-ridden world, God has provided the remedy for the virus of human sin.  Out of love for us and for the world, God gave the remedy 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 remedy, and remains so in the sinful world of our day.

It might have been easier for God to redeem the world by 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 for us 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.

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

Thomas Kelly (1769-1855)

O Lord our God, as we come this day before the Cross, with all its suffering and shame, help us to see Jesus Christ as the answer to this world's sin, and 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 29th March 2026

LENT 6
PALM SUNDAY
THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY!

"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.

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 desperate cry for help from oppressed people for rescue and release. Jesus was welcomed into the holy city as a royal personage and as the liberator, saviour and king of his people.

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

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.  His notion of kingship was radically different.  Jesus came to claim the kingship of the heart; and the triumphal entry on Palm Sunday was a final invitation 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.  Their 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 and enthrone him there? Or, like many in that Palm Sunday crowd, are we going to bar the door and exclude him?  Jesus Christ, the unexpected one, demands a decision from us now!

PRAYERS FOR PALM SUNDAY

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.

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 22nd March 2026

LENT 5
NOTHING BUT THE BEST
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 (by 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.
 
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.  

Moreover, Judas Iscariot, the disciples' treasurer, questioned Mary's anointing of Jesus with this costly perfume, denouncing it as sheer waste, and insisting that it might have been sold, and the proceeds given to the poor.  Jesus's immediate rebuke must have surprised him.

What we see here is the unselfconscious nature of love and devotion. But the story is also a splendid example of someone giving to Jesus "nothing but the best."  In the Biblical narrative, we are told that this was no ordinary ointment, but "pure oil of nard."  This was no cheap liquid but a very expensive perfume with a pleasant odour, often contained in a wax-sealed box, which was thought to have spiritual, as well as therapeutic properties.  Mary was using this costly perfume in anticipation of Jesus's forthcoming crucifixion, death and burial.

In this respect, Mary gave Jesus "nothing but the best," and it invites us to consider whether we give Jesus the very best we can offer, or withhold the best from him.  It invites us to think about whether we give God, Jesus, the Church, our faith and our Christian witness the best we can offer, or the minimum we can do to satisfy our consciences and feel that we have done something, rather than nothing.  Throughout Scripture, we are asked to give to God "nothing but the best" in all things, and never something that costs us little or nothing.

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. Would we do as Mary did?  Or is giving "nothing but the best" too much to ask and expect of us?  Mary certainly upset Judas with her lavish giving - she never upset Jesus.  Indeed, Jesus said that what she had done would always be told in her memory.  Her seeming extravagance, far from being a reckless action, was praised by Jesus as a beautiful thing.

This woman had come to appreciate Christ's worth more than anyone else at the table.  So she gave him "nothing but the best."
 
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 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 15th March 2026

LENT 4
MOTHERING SUNDAY

The Fourth Sunday of Lent is Mothering Sunday, which, strictly speaking, is not associated with the secular festival we know as Mother's Day.  This has no Biblical basis, and is an American celebration started in the early 20th century by Anna Jarvis, and held on the second Sunday of May.  It has been said that the presence of the American military in our country in the Second World War gave much inspiration to what we now call Mother's Day, so that it became integrated into our culture.  As a result, Mothering Sunday and Mother's Day are often used interchangeably.

The origins of Mothering Sunday are obscure and various theories have been put forward to explain its place in the Christian Year.  Some say that at this point midway through Lent, Mothering Sunday was a day of pilgrimage: an occasion for people to return to their 'mother' church, where they were first nurtured in the faith. Others believe that Mothering Sunday was an occasion when young servant girls, working in houses on large estates, were given the day off duty to go home and reunite with their families.  As Mothering Sunday is sometimes named Refreshment Sunday, the day when, midway through Lent, the strict discipline of fasting was relaxed and the taking of some food and drink permitted.  None of this is proven and its origins remain a mystery.

One spiritual writer notes that 'mother' is a noun, while 'mothering' is a verb. As such, the term 'mothering' can apply to everyone, since, by definition, it refers to the act of caring for, nurturing, and protecting someone in a way that is traditionally associated with a mother.  The key aspects of 'mothering', he claims, are nurturing, providing physical and emotional support, guidance, a sense of moral direction, and fundamentally, unconditional love.

In support of this, he quotes Colossians 3:12, where Paul issues these instructions to the Christian community at Colosse: "Put on, then, garments that suit God's chosen and beloved people: compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience," and above all, Love.  Through these special graces, which can apply to everyone, we can live in our communities as people who look after one another, and do so with unconditional love.  In other words, we can become a source of 'mothering' love and care to everyone around us.

As Lent is traditionally a season for self-examination, we may use Mothering Sunday as an opportunity to "search and examine our ways," and see how far our lives do express compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience - and above all Love.  In other words, we can make Mothering Sunday a real opportunity to become channels of 'mothering' love to all in the community.

(Our photographs today show various sources of 'mothering' or nurturing love over the years).


A PRAYER FOR MOTHERING SUNDAY

O God, the giver of every good and perfect gift,
as we give thanks for the 'mothering' love which,
from our birth, over and around us lies,
make us channels of that love within the Church
and the communities in which we live, 
and by your grace may our lives express
compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness
and patience, and love above all things;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

Gracious God, Father almighty,
to whom we owe our every breath:
as we pass through these days of Lent,
kindle within us the gifts of compassion,
kindness, humility, gentleness and patience,
and love above all else, that we may express
'mothering' love and nurture to all around us;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

THE BLESSING

May the grace of Christ attend us,
the love of God surround us,
the Holy Spirit keep us,
this day and for ever.   Amen.

Sunday 8th March 2026

LENT 3
PRAYER FOR ALL IN HIGH OFFICE

In this season of Lent, the Middle East has suddenly become a war zone.

Already a fractured and fragile region, we now see on a daily basis the consequences of conflict, and the effects of weapons of fearsome magnitude which have rained on towns and cities, reducing many fine buildings to rubble, and causing unimaginable suffering, injury and death.  It is not clear whether a peaceful settlement is within reach, while many are worried that this conflict may escalate and involve more nations.  As Chris Mason (BBC) said in a news bulletin on Thursday evening: "This is a war with no end in sight."

(As circumstances are changing quickly, the above refers to the situation as at the time of writing).

The question arises as to what we can do in present circumstances, and at first sight we must admit that the most likely answer is "very little" or "nothing."  We don't occupy the corridors of power, or sit in the chambers of decision-making, where we can participate in a personal way to bring this conflict to a conclusion.

While this is a natural response, we would do well to consult the New Testament, and think seriously about the responsibilities of the Christian to the state.  One of these is to pray for those who lead us.  In 1 Timothy 2: 1-7, Paul urges Timothy that "petitions, prayers, intercessions and thanksgivings be offered for everyone,
for sovereigns and for all in high office so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life."  Paul is thereby indicating emphatically that every Christian has a duty to pray for all in high office: for rulers, representatives and all others on whom is placed the high responsibility of government.

Such prayer for the civil powers does not necessarily mean agreement with policy, or an uncritical obedience to them.  What is does mean is that since the state is an instrument provided by God for the ordering of society, Christians within that state have a sacred obligation to pray for those appointed or elected to manage it.  This inevitably means prayers for those with little or no understanding of the true dignity of their office, and who in themselves may be contemptible persons.

In present circumstances, therefore, we have an obligation to pray for all in high office: for our own leaders, and for those who lead the other nations involved in this conflict. In doing so, we may bear in mind Alfred, Lord Tennyson's famous dictum, that "more things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of."  

Historically, the season of Lent was a time for prayer and meditation, together with other 'spiritual exercises.'   It has been said of Lent that "if fasting fills the body, prayer fills the soul."

As we pass through Lent, we may think about the place of prayer in our lives, and most especially about the Christian's duty to pray for all in high office at this present time.  We cannot say how or when this Middle East conflict will come to an end.  But by praying for those in authority, we can play our part in serving Jesus Christ, who promised a blessing to the peacemakers and who in his very person is the Prince of Peace.

PRAYERS FOR THIS TIME

O God, in whose perfect kingdom
no sword is drawn but the sword of righteousness
and no strength known
save the strength of love:
strengthen and guide by your Spirit
those who at this time lead the nations,
that they may come to recognise
those things that belong to their peace.
Grant us peace in our time: the peace
of your will, the peace of our need.
And hasten the day when none shall
hurt or destroy, and when your saving power
shall hold the nations in your hand;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

Lord of our life
and God of our salvation:
hear us as we pray for those in high office,
whether in this country
or in other lands near and far.
Keep them conscious of their duties
and give them strength and courage
to fulfil their calling's high demands.
Bless the world with peace,
and help us by our earnest prayers
to bring this peace to pass;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

For the healing of the nations,
Lord, we pray with one accord;
for a just and equal sharing
of the things that earth affords.
To a life of love and action
help us rise and pledge our word.

Lead us forward into freedom,
from despair your world release,
that, redeemed from war and hatred,
all may come and go in peace.
Show us how through care and goodness
fear will die and hope increase.

Fred Kaan (1929-2009)
CH4 - Hymn 706 1-2

THE BLESSING

May the grace of Christ attend us,
the love of God surround us,
the Holy Spirit keep us,
this day and for ever.   Amen.

Sunday 1st March 2026

LENT 2
THE NEED FOR DISCIPLINE

The Winter Olympics have just come to a close in Northern Italy.  This event had athletes competing in sixteen sports at various locations, making the Games one of the most expansive to date.  With great pride and acclaim, a television commentator remarked that all the contestants were "undeniably masters of their sport," and no one would question that.  But they were all undeniably masters of something else: Discipline.  Without self-discipline, involving a strictly regulated regime of training, their participation would not be possible.

To the modern mind, 'discipline' may be an old-fashioned word which has little or no relevance to our time.  St. Paul, however, was aware of the need for self-discipline, and in 1 Corinthians 9 he tells us that in order to win the prize (a crown of laurel leaves), every athlete must undergo strict training.  They must have complete mastery of themselves, or they will never get anywhere. He then applies this to the Christian life.  In order to win the prize, the crown which is eternal life, the Christian must undergo a strict regime of training. To win the fight of faith in the stadium of life, they must practise the art of self-discipline in body, mind and spirit.  For the Christian, discipline is not an option but a necessity.

In modern times, we have seen the breakdown of discipline in so many areas of life.  The vandalism and violence, the bad manners and bad habits, the lack of respect for persons and property, and the misbehaviour of our youngsters from an early age, all point to a widespread erosion of discipline and its repercussions. A recent report on assaults and inflictions on school teachers by pupils must point, at least in part, to a massive absence of discipline among the younger generation. Whereas discipline was once instilled in the home, this is also less obvious, and the consequences all too clear for us to see.

In the Bible, discipline is portrayed as an essential aspect of spiritual, physical and moral development, reflecting God's love and care for his people.  In Scripture, discipline is recognised as a means of fostering spiritual growth and character development, an expression of God's unfailing love and of his desire to guide his people to maturity and righteousness of life. Thus in Proverbs 3:11-12 we read: "My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline, and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in."  Discipline is not merely ponitive, but an expression of God's love and care.

As we pass through this season of Lent, set apart for our spiritual nourishment and growth in grace, we may take discipline as a theme, and think about how seriously apply it in the stadium of life.  As a modern spiritual writer remarks: "Where there is no discipline, there is disorder, but where discipline prevails there is harmony and peace."  This is surely a point to ponder in Lent and beyond.

O God, grant that by the gift of discipline
we may receive your love and care,
and strength to live with obedience and purpose,
this Lent and always;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

PRAYERS FOR THIS WEEK

Father of everlasting grace,
as we pass through these days of Lent,
help us to cultivate and practise
the art of self-discipline,
so that it shapes our character,
strengthens our faith,
and aligns our life with your purpose;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

Heavenly Father,
in the stadium of daily life,
grant us in all things
a spirit of self-discipline,
so that our thoughts, words and actions
come from a life firmly rooted
in the path you have set before us
in Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

THE BLESSING

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

Sunday 22nd February 2026

LENT 1
IN THE WILDERNESS

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, sorely tempted by the devil.

Jesus did not, however, go there out of choice. 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 crossed over it, described it as a vast area of yellow sand, with hills like 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 in 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 stunts.  Finally, the devil offered Jesus 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 finally 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 world in constant chaos and confusion, 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 that "The only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it."

There are, of course, Christians who strongly believe that they ought to be above and beyond this, and that 'temptation' is a sure and certain sign of weakness and a lack of faith.  Nothing could be further from the truth. Jesus Christ himself never reached this height of perfection, and all through his ministry had to wrestle with the tempter's 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.  Furthermore, it has been said by one Christian observer that the trials and temptations that we encounter can strengthen our faith and enrich our commitment to it.  'Temptation' or 'testing' may well be "the devil looking through the keyhole" of life's door, yet in a positive way be a means of giving us strength to overcome them.

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

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

PRAYERS FOR LENT

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

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

THE BLESSING

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

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

Wednesday 18th February 2026

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 reminding us of our own mortality - something to which the modern mind gives little or no attention, but from which there is no escape.

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 wrong in our lives, and God's forgiveness, lest we become like those who, comfortable 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 15th February 2026

THE SUNDAY NEXT 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 a crippled 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 work 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 and understanding must take priority over the demands of a moral or legal code, and when human beings must be treated as people who bear God's image, deserving 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 the finest minds have devised.

In 2016, Pope Francis wrote a little book with the title, The Name of God Is Mercy, in which he shared anecdotes about God's grace and love at work in the lives of his parishioners in Argentina, and in the lives of others known 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, and which begins on Wednesday (Ash Wednesday), we may think carefully about 'mercy' and its application in a merciless world, and so be among the 'merciful' whom our Lord has promised a blessing. It is arguably 'mercy,' in the Biblical sense, that we need so much today, when human cruelty is everywhere, and 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 now 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 in this
age 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.

A PRAYER FOR LENT

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

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

Richard of Chichester 1197-1253

THE BLESSING

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

Sunday 8th February 2026

THE SECOND SUNDAY BEFORE LENT
TENDING THE GARDEN

Those who study our climate have reported that January 2026 was one of the wettest on record, with severe flooding in many parts of the country, causing much damage and misery as a consequence.

Whatever weather we have had to endure, our plant life is now slowly emerging from winter's darkness.  Snowdrops are appearing in gardens, and in some milder, coastal areas, the daffodils are through the ground and in bloom.  Our gardens will shortly require attention, whether clearing away fallen branches, leaves and other debris, or merely 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 this 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 and has a divine connection with our spiritual journey.

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, and not only our religious duties and devotions. Those who undertake the most mundane tasks are doing God's work as much as any cleric, or someone in the professions. The dignity of human labour is central to Calvin's thought, to Reformed thinking, and to Christian faith and practice.

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?  Or is our labour only another chore among many - something we must do to keep us occupied and sustain us from one day to the next?

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.  Let us till or tend the garden God has given us as our earthly home with commitment and constant care, and make this fractured world the garden of the Lord.  As an anonymous source has stated: "The ceremony of labour is no meaningless ritual but one that functions as an instrument of praise."

A PRAYER FOR THE DAY
God our creator and redeemer,
whose gift to us is this new day:
may all that we do this day, 
and in this 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,
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 1st February 2026

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, and bearing God's own image.

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?

PRAYERS FOR CANDLEMAS

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

Gracious God, our strength and our salvation,
without whose light we walk in darkness and in error:
at this time of Candlemas we confess that we have
sinned against you and against one another
in what we have done, and in what we have not done.
We acknowledge our failure in pure in holy living,
and all else that is amiss in our lives....
Pardon our past mistakes, we pray;
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 this day presented in the Temple:
grant that we may be presented to you
with pure and clean hearts,
by your Son Jesus Christ our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.   Amen.

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

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 25th January 2026

A CHRIST-LIKE CULTURE

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

This Sunday, we usually take some aspect of 'culture' as our theme.  At this time, the Burns Supper season is well underway, with traditional celebrations taking place here and across the world. Indeed, today is the anniversary of the poet's birth in 1759 at Alloway, and so it is appropriate that we think not only of Robert Burns and his impact on our culture, but on how we may shape our contemporary culture in a much more Christ-like way.

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 of the Christian life, they must 'think' in the right way, so that they will 'act' in the right way. The preservation of their integrity of character depends on how they 'think' and 'act,' and the connection between 'thinking' and 'acting' must be taken seriously.

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

It is said that we are living in a culture in which mediocrity has gained a prominent place.  As a consequence, standards have fallen over the years, and there is a widespread general acceptance of what was once dismissed as the second or third rate.  The pursuit of excellence, it is claimed, has been abandoned in favour of embracing almost everything fashionable, while any Christian influence on our culture has been reduced, if not eradicated.

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.

As we enter further into this new year, let us take the apostle's words to heart, and accept the demand to focus our minds only on the right things, thereby encouraging a much more Christ-like culture to flourish among us.

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

A PRAYER FOR THE DAY

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

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

A PRAYER FOR 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 18th January 2026

THE BAPTISM OF CHRIST
A THOUGHT

The administration of the Sacrament of Baptism is always a lovely service in our churches; and though Christian denominations have different ways of undertaking and understanding their baptismal procedures, it is always a memorable occasion.

When Jesus came to be baptised by  John the Baptist in the River Jordan, John was startled and seemed unwilling to do this. It was John's conviction that it was he who needed what Jesus could give, and not what he could do for Jesus.   In John's baptism, there was a call to repentance and the offer of forgiveness, followed by amendment of life.  But if Jesus truly was who he was really meant to be, he did not stand in need of repentance, nor did he require forgiveness from God. John's baptism was primarily for sinners, conscious of their failings - something that did not seem applicable to Jesus.

Nevertheless, the moment came when Jesus stood before John, to be baptised by him in the River Jordan, an event marking the beginning of his public ministry.  It has been said that for some thirty years, Jesus had waited in Nazareth to prepare for the ministry which lay ahead of him.  Whether he was performing simple duties at home, assisting Joseph in his work, or undertaking studies of some kind, we do not know.  But if Jesus, during this period, grew increasingly conscious of the fact that there was a God-given task ahead of him, there would inevitably come a time when this would be made known publicly.  Jesus's baptism marks the beginning of his public ministry.

It has been said that the success of any undertaking depends on knowing the right moment when to embark on it.  Jesus was aware of this, and his baptism was the very moment for which he had been waiting.

This remains true today.  The success of any project depends on knowing the right moment when to begin.  A building contractor needs to know the right time to start a construction project.  An airline pilot needs to know the right moment to lift the aircraft safely from the runway and render it airborne.  A surgeon needs to know the right moment for carrying out surgery, and an engineer needs to know the right moment to begin road construction or repairs to our railway network.  In our lives today, there is a right moment for which we should wait and prepare, or the project may collapse with embarrassing, unintended consequences.

Jesus might well have spent his early years, waiting and preparing to leap on to the public stage, and start his public ministry after baptism by John.

As we progress into this new year, may God give us grace to know the right moment for embarking on any project, so that it brings the success that we want and expect.

A PRAYER FOR THIS WEEK

Almighty God, our teacher and guide,
as we make the journey of life
help us by your Holy Spirit
to know the right moment
when to do the right deed,
so that any project we begin
may meet with the success
and fulfilment we are seeking;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

A PRAYER FOR THIS SEASON

Most gracious God,
in whose love and perfect wisdom
our times and seasons are arranged:
as we enter further into this new year,
give us such confidence,
such trust, such faith in you,
that at all times and in every place
you may be praised for all,
praised for all, and loved for all;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.   Amen.

THE BLESSING

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

A Baptismal stone in South Ayrshire

Sunday 11th January 2026

THE THIRD 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 entirely spent 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 opinions about them.  We cannot say for certain, but some serious 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 still be fresh in our minds, but 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 - we must grow with him, and allow his life to shape our lives, and inspire our Christian witness 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 everliving 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 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 4th January 2026

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

THE FIRST SUNDAY OF THE YEAR
A NEW BEGINNING

"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, and 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 today is 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 2025 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 some valuable lessons we can take with us 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 2026 a time of new beginnings, weaving our way through it with a strong faith, and with that inner peace which only God in Christ can give.

With every blessing and best wish to you all in 2026!

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

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

A PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

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

THE BLESSING

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

Thursday 1st January 2026

A THOUGHT FOR NEW YEAR'S DAY

"God has made everything to suit its time."

The Christmas season is traditionally one for the giving and receiving of gifts.  Once again, the high street stores have been crammed with customers seeking a purchase, and preferably a bargain, though in recent years, online shopping has largely replaced the Christmas rush to the department stores.

Throughout our lives, God has given us gifts - without number and beyond price.  That beautiful passage in the third chapter in the Book of Ecclesiastes, from which the above text is taken, reminds us that time is a divine blessing, and that God has made everything to suit its time.  In other words, in the mind and purpose of God, there is a time laid down for every circumstance and event.  

As we come to another year in our life's ongoing journey, we may remind ourselves that time is one of God's most precious gifts to us, and that this new year, whatever it may being, is a divine gift bestowed on us by our Creator.

How are we going to use this gift?  Are we going to use it in such a way that it brings glory to God and only good to other people? Or are we going to fritter it away and waste the opportunities that time provides us with? We can choose to use the gift of time in the way in which it was intended, or take it and waste it, with little or nothing to show for it.

Let us use this coming year in the best way possible, trusting in the One who makes all things new - who is the beginning and the end of all things - Jesus Christ our Lord.  He is the light to shine upon our path, and our constant companion on the way.

A happy, healthy and peaceful New Year to you all, with richest blessings, and a proper use of time, throughout 2026!

A NEW YEAR BLESSING

May Christ our Lord,
who is the Source of every beginning,
and the One who makes all things new,
grant us faithful hearts,
loving hands and steadfast wills
throughout this coming year,
that we may always be pleasing
and acceptable in his sight.

And the blessing of God Almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be upon us, and remain with us,
this New Year's day, and always.   Amen.  

Sunday 28th December 2025

THE FIRST SUNDAY OF CHRISTMAS
THE LAST SUNDAY OF THE YEAR

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

This Sunday is the last Sunday of the year. When "the bells" chime on Wednesday night, we will pass from one year into another.  For some, it's a time of anticipation, with an eager 'looking forward' to what the new year may bring.  For others, this is a time of mixed emotions, with feelings of loneliness, weariness, and a sadness that time is moving forward much more quickly than desired.  Yet for others, there's the indifferent attitude - those for whom the New Year means neither one thing nor the other.

Forty-three years ago, I spent Christmas and New Year in the lovely city of Toronto in Canada.  In the centre of Toronto, I came across a grand-looking department store with a large front window overlooking the bustling street. Behind this window there was a splendid display, with life-size characters busy "counting" something.

One was looking at a calendar on the wall, counting the days until the end of the year.  Another was kneeling on the floor, counting the Christmas gifts that had piled up underneath the Christmas tree.  Another was standing at a fireplace, counting the Christmas cards on the mantelpiece and on other furnishings.  Another was in the kitchen, counting the items coming out of various shopping bags.  And another was at a desk with a wallet, counting his dollars and cents. But one was at the fireside, reclining in an armchair, quietly telling us what he was doing: "I'm counting my blessings!"

As we come to the last Sunday of this year, this is an opportunity for each of us to "count our blessings." Even though this has not been the most cheerful of years, there must be something for which to express our gratitude.  For the eyes of the Lord our God are always upon us, from the beginning of the year to the end (Deuteronomy 11. 12), thereby emphasising God's constant care and attention for his people.

Personally, I must say that a highlight of 2025 was my 40th anniversary as minister at Kirkmichael and Straiton, which was marked by an excellent service, followed by a delicious lunch, and with several generous gifts which were completely unexpected. I will shortly complete 40 calendar years in my ministry with you, and the blessings gained are beyond measure.  It has been an experience beyond words to have served you here, and I am so grateful to have had the energy and enthusiasm to make my tenure a long one.  My gratitude is without question profound.

Let us take some time to "count our blessings," and express our thanksgiving to God, who, in his love for the world, has safely brought us to this hour, to this very moment, and to the gate of another year in our life's continuing journey.

A happy, healthy and peaceful New Year to you all, with every blessing in 2026!

A PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

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

THE BLESSING

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

Christmas Day

CHRISTMAS DAY
THE INN-KEEPER

The Christmas story, as recorded in St. Luke's Gospel, was a most incredible event.  The birth was announced by angels, singing in the night sky.  Their message was heard by shepherds, who left their work and went straight to Bethlehem to see the new-born child.  Mary and Joseph were in a stable or cattle stall - not the usual place for a birth.  And at some later point, according to St. Matthew's Gospel, the child was visited by wise men from the east, bearing their threefold gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

There is, however, one person on whom  the story depends, who rarely, if ever, receives a mention.  Nor do we usually see them represented in a Christmas crib.  That is the inn-keeper.  We are told that there was no room at the inn for Mary and Joseph on the night that Jesus was born.  But we are told nothing about the inn-keeper who led the couple to a cattle stall or some other structure, so that the birth could take place.

Here is a Christmas thought.  The main characters in the Christmas story are well-known.  One of them is anonymous, but without their contribution, the story would not have taken the shape that it does. It might be thought that the inn-keeper was 'a grumpy landlord' who turned Mary and Joseph away, but this portrayal has no substance. The inn-keeper gave Mary and Joseph accommodation when the inn was filled with guests.  He could easily have turned them away, and ignored their plight.  Instead, he did something practical, while remaining anonymous to us.

In the Christian faith, there are countless people like that inn-keeper: people who are unknown to the world, but are known to God.  The inn-keeper is a reminder today of those 'anonymous Christians' on whom the whole fabric of the world depends, and whose practical and positive help we need.  On Christmas Day, we remember and give thanks for them.

Furthermore, the inn-keeper invites us to consider our response to those in need, not only at Christmas, but at all times.  Like the inn-keeper, do we provide practical help, when required?  Or do we turn a blind eye to the plight of those less fortunate than ourselves and hope that their predicament will quickly and quietly pass away?  In the face of human need and suffering, we may have the generosity of the Good Samaritan, or the tough hard-heartedness of the priest and the Levite who callously walked past on the other side.  The story of the inn-keeper encourages us to open our hearts to all those who are in need.

This is a thought-provoking message for Christmas Day. But then the coming of God in Jesus Christ is a thought-provoking event, still being discussed and debated some two thousand years later!

A happy, peaceful Christmas Day to you all!

A CHRISTMAS DAY BLESSING

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

Sunday 21st December 2025

ADVENT 4 
THE BIRTH OF JESUS CHRIST
A THOUGHT FOR CHRISTMAS SUNDAY

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

This is not surprising, since much of the commercial side to Christmas, particularly the lavish advertising that seems to start earlier each year, is targeted at children and young people.  Thus we often hear it said that "Christmas is a time for the children." This understanding of Christmas is reinforced by the fact that many Christmas celebrations involve children, such as nativity plays, concerts and carol singing, so we might be forgiven for thinking of Christmas in this somewhat exclusive way.

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

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

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

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

The coming of God in Jesus Christ is for the world and for all mankind!

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

A happy, healthy and peaceful Christmas to you all!

CHRISTMAS PRAYERS

Almighty God, by whose grace we celebrate
  Christmastide:

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

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

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

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

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

THE BLESSING

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

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

Sunday 14 December 2025

ADVENT 3
JOHN THE BAPTIST

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

Our modern world is one of sending messages, whether by traditional means or by the various ways of technology at our disposal.  During the pandemic, of course, the digital way became so much more widely used, though there are still those for whom pen and paper will never be surpassed.

Our world is indeed one of sending messages, while our post and parcel services, with other couriers, continue to serve as messengers. In the Advent story, John the Baptist is regarded as a messenger, called to 'prepare the way' for the coming of the Messiah, which we find rooted in the Old Testament.

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

As a preacher in his own right, the interesting fact about John is that he never sought publicity for himself.  John regarded his ministry as one of preparation - as one of 'preparing the way' for the 'advent' or 'coming' of Jesus Christ.  When Jesus finally appeared, John retreated into the background to allow Jesus to have the foremost place.  From what we know about him, John never sought to draw attention to himself, or crave the kind of publicity that attention-seekers look for today.

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

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

As part of our Advent discipline, we could reflect on this, and work for a world where humility and grace, with a profound absence of "attention-seeking," are much more in evidence, and where John the Baptist's modesty becomes an example to follow.

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

A PRAYER FOR THIS WEEK

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

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

THE BLESSING

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

Sunday 7 December 2025

ADVENT 2
THE SECOND COMING OF JESUS CHRIST

"The Son of Man will come with power and great glory!"

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

The shortness of time is something that we are conscious of these days. People of all ages say that the years are moving on at an incredible pace.  Many great people have expressed anxiety at the shortness of time.  Robert Louis Stevenson, in his Songs of Travel, noted his fear of "the sunset gun" going off too soon, while the poet Keats, in When I Have Fears, expressed an anxiety that he might "cease to be" before completing his work.

Like so many great people before him, St. Paul was haunted by the shortness of time.  This was founded on his belief that the Second Coming of Christ was imminent.  Indeed, the early Christian Church expected Christ to return to this world at any moment, and people had to be prepared for it.  Therefore, in Romans 11:11-14, the apostle affirms his belief that time is short, that the Lord's coming is near, and that his readers ought to live in such a virtuous way as befits this cataclysmic event.

What are we to make of this today?  After some two thousand years, this event, with its attendant drama, has not happened. Jesus Christ has not returned to earth as expected, and in the powerful way described in some of our Advent hymns.  Perhaps we need to interpret this less literally, and look at the conviction
on which this belief rests.

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

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

Whatever view we take of the Second Coming, it points to the ultimate triumph of Jesus Christ, whose coming we await, and whose day draws near.

A PRAYER FOR TODAY

Holy God, faithful and unchanging,
beyond our deepest understanding,
yet made known to us in Jesus Christ:
as we come to this season of Advent,
take your Church, and strengthen it;
take our world, and cleanse it;
take our nation, and purify it;
take our brokenness, and mend it;
take our lives, and make them
fit for every duty that awaits us,
that we may be faithful servants
of Jesus Christ, whose coming we await
and whose day draws near.   Amen.

A PRAYER FOR ADVENT

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

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

THE BLESSING

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

Sunday 30 November 2025

THE FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT
ADVENT SUNDAY

Today is Advent Sunday, sometimes called the First Sunday of Advent or First Advent Sunday.  In the Western Christian Churches, this marks the first day of the new Christian Year, and also the start of the Advent season. The colour violet or purple is used in Advent; the first Advent candle is traditionally lit in the worship service; and clergy are usually robed in violet-coloured or blue vestments.  

The word "Advent" comes from the Latin adventus, meaning "coming" or "arrival."  In a Christian context, this refers to the "coming" or "arrival" of Jesus Christ on Christmas Day, and also to his so-called Second Coming at the end of time.

Historically, however, there was little connection between Advent and Christmas.  In Advent, new Christians underwent preparation for baptism at Epiphany in January, and would spend the days in penance, prayer and fasting. In the Middle Ages, the Advent season became explicitly linked to Christ's first coming at Christmas, and the majority today would no doubt understand Advent in this way.

In modern times, Advent is usually associated with holidays, celebrations, shopping, lights, cards and decorations, wreaths, calendars and candles and other artefacts.  The notion of fasting in Advent (as in Lent) has largely disappeared from public consciousness, though some Christians still practise it as a spiritual discipline.  Advent has become a secularised season leading up to Christmas, the spiritual nature and the seriousness of which are still preserved in its colour of violet or purple.  Clergy often wear purple stoles and purple Advent candles are lit in many of our churches.

How might we use Advent today?  This year, we could use Advent as a time of reflection, looking back on the dark days of war and conflict in the world, while also thinking of the evil, and the needless suffering and sorrow so many must endure. We could also consider the sinfulness in our own lives and our constant need of God's grace and forgiveness.  Thereafter, we could look forward in hope to the coming of God in Jesus Christ, and reaffirm our wholehearted trust in him.  For as George Wallace Briggs (1875-1959) reassures us in his fine hymn:

"Christ is the world's true light, 
its captain of salvation,
the daystar clear and bright
of every race and nation."

Advent as a season may have lost its traditional role. But these days preceding Christmas may still be a time to reflect, and to pray that the long-expected Jesus will inspire us to make this world more Christ-centred, and our own lives more Christ-like.

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

A  GENERAL PRAYER

Gracious God, source of all life and light,
as we begin this season of Advent,
we ask your blessing on our Church, 
our world, our nation and our community,
when many are anxious about the present, 
and uncertain, and fearful of the future.
Enfold us and surround us with your presence;
assure us of your love that will not let us go;
and may your saving power be at work among us
and within us, now and at all times.
We ask this prayer in the name of your dear Son,
our Saviour Jesus Christ, whose coming we await,
and whose day draws near.   Amen.

A PRAYER FOR ADVENT SUNDAY

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

From:  The Promise Of His Glory,
            London 1991, 345

THE BLESSING

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