Easter Joy



He is Risen


Pure fasted faces draw unto this feast:
God comes all sweetness to your Lenten lips.
You striped in secret with breath-taking whips,
Those crooked rough-scored chequers may be pieced
To crosses meant for Jesu's; you whom the East
With draught of thin and pursuant cold so nips
Breathe Easter now; you serged fellowships,
You vigil-keepers with low flames decreased,
God shall o'er-brim the measures you have spent
With oil of gladness, for sackcloth and frieze
And the ever-fretting shirt of punishment
Give myrrhy-threaded golden folds of ease.
Your scarce-sheathed bones are weary of being bent:
Lo, God shall strengthen all the feeble knees



Advent hope

The “O Antiphons” refer to the seven antiphons that are recited  in  the special period of Advent preparation known as the Octave before Christmas 17-23^rd December.  

Each one highlights a title for the Messiah: O Sapientia (O Wisdom), O Adonai (O Lord), O Radix Jesse (O Root of Jesse), O Clavis David (O Key of David), O Oriens (O Rising Sun), O Rex Gentium (O King of the Nations), and O Emmanuel. Each one also refers to the prophecy of Isaiah of the coming of the Messiah.

17^th O Sapientia: “O Wisdom, O holy Word of God, you govern all creation with your strong yet tender care. Come and show your people the way to salvation.” Isaiah had prophesied,

The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him: a spirit of wisdom and of understanding, a spirit of counsel and of strength, a spirit of knowledge and fear of the Lord, and his delight shall be the fear of the Lord.” (11:2-3), and “Wonderful is His counsel and great is His wisdom.” (28:29).

18^th O Adonai: “O sacred Lord of ancient Israel, who showed yourself to Moses in the burning bush, who gave him the holy law on Sinai mountain: come, stretch out your mighty hand to set us free.” Isaiah had prophesied, “But He shall judge the poor with justice, and decide aright for the land’s afflicted. He shall strike the ruthless with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked. Justice shall be the band around his waist, and faithfulness a belt upon his hips.” (11:4-5); and “Indeed the Lord will be there with us, majestic; yes the Lord our judge, the Lord our lawgiver, the Lord our king, he it is who will save us.” (33:22).

19^th O Radix Jesse: “O Flower of Jesse’s stem, you have been raised up as a sign for all peoples; kings stand silent in your presence; the nations bow down in worship before you. Come, let nothing keep you from coming to our aid.” Isaiah had prophesied, “But a shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom.” (11:1), and A On that day, the root of Jesse, set up as a signal for the nations, the Gentiles shall seek out, for his dwelling shall be glorious.” (11:10). Remember also that Jesse was the father of King David, and Micah had prophesied that the Messiah would be of the house and lineage of David and be born in David’s city, Bethlehem (Micah 5:1).

20^th O Clavis David: “O Key of David, O royal Power of Israel controlling at your will the gate of Heaven: Come, break down the prison walls of death for those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death; and lead your captive people into freedom.”

Isaiah had prophesied, AI will place the Key of the House of David on His shoulder; when he opens, no one will shut, when he shuts, no one will open.” (22:22), and “His dominion is vast and forever peaceful, from David’s throne, and over His kingdom, which he confirms and sustains by judgment and justice, both now and forever.” (9:6).

21^st O Oriens: “O Radiant Dawn, splendor of eternal light, sun of justice: come, shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.” Isaiah had prophesied, “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shown.” (9:1).

22ndO Rex Gentium: “O King of all the nations, the only joy of every human heart; O Keystone of the mighty arch of man, come and save the creature you fashioned from the dust.” Isaiah had prophesied, “For a child is born to us, a son is given us; upon his shoulder dominion rests. They name him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, Prince of Peace.” (9:5), and “He shall judge between the nations, and impose terms on many peoples. They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; one nation shall not raise the sword against another, nor shall they train for war again.” (2:4) .

23rd O Emmanual

: “O Emmanuel, king and lawgiver, desire of the nations, Savior of all people, come and set us free, Lord our God.” Isaiah had prophesied, “The Lord himself will give you this sign: the Virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel.”

 

I am the bread of life

 Lately we have heard much about bread in our Sunday readings. Jesus tells us “I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever”.

Bread of course is one of the oldest prepared foods.  Bread has always had great significance in most cultures from the flat breads of the Middle East, the Chapatis of Parkistan, to soda bread of Ireland and the loaves we are familiar with here in England. Today of course bread production is on an industrial scale. Techniques have been developed which enable lower protein wheat to be used. This, as in our supermarket loaves, enables bread to be produced much quicker by mechanical means and  it requires additives such as flavour enhancers, mould inhibitors and anti staling agents mmmm – delicious. As a result much of the bread we buy today lacks  flavour unlike the loaves baked at home.

 In Old Testament times however it was a different story. Bread-making was the women's work but in the palaces of kings and princes and in large households, the Artisan bakers' duties would be specialized. Bread was leavened using yeast that caused the mixture to rise in the shape of our familiar loaf.

 In the Book of Exodus we hear about the hurried departure of the Israelites from Egypt which prevented their bread being leavened as usual; the Jews today commemorate this event by eating unleavened bread on special occasions. Of course this is true during the passover unleavened bread is required by scriptural law to avoid any form of leaven during that time of year.

Roman culture too relied heavily upon bread. If you have ever been to Pompeii and other buried cities you will see public bakeries where the poorer people brought their bread to be baked, or from which they could buy ready-baked bread.  Indeed at Pompei they still have 81 carbonized loaves which were perfectly preserved in the ash of Versuvious. Bread in roman times as well as throughout history has always been an important staple of our diet.

During the second world war bread was particularly important to prisoners of Auschwitz. Those imprisoned in that terrible place survived on a tiny bread ration a day, as well as a  small bowl of grey soup which was made with rotten vegetables, rotten meat and water. Bread served as a currency substitute in the camp. Stealing a prisoner’s bread was tantamount to taking his life, and was punished by the other prisoners with death. After all the goal of the camp’s entire underground economy was to avoid starvation.

For those in these concentration camps, this bread symbolized life. Bread was a lifeline and the sustainer. Bread was traded, savored and treasured. One of the greatest tragedies of all however, is that this level of hunger is still experienced today in many Third world countries. The hunger experienced by those prisoners of Auschwitz is relived by many men, women and children everyday and often the Western world just looks on.

A small piece of bread about 4 inches by 4 inches is equivalent to one day’s  bread ration for one prisoner of Auschwitz  and  the amount of rice consumed by the hungry in the Third world is about this size.  Imagine how perhaps you could survive on such megre rations.  Later I will leave this bread on the Sanctuary steps which may be food for thought as we approach for communion.  

One particular Prisoner in Auschwitz was Maximilian Kolbe who was a Polish Franciscan Priest who died in Auschwitz in 1941. He was canonized a saint in 1982  and his feat day was celebrated last Tuesday. Having helped over 2000 Jews he was seen as a Jewish sympathizer and was therefore imprisoned. He was forced to work longer and harder than the others and was beaten and kicked savagely many times. He risked death over and over by leading prayers. He volunteered to do the work of those weaker than himself and often gave his meager portions of bread or soup to other prisoners who were sicker than he. Yet most poignantly Kolbe, despite starving to death, sacrificed his own meager bread ration to celebrate the Eucharist with the other prisoners. When the other prisoners offered to pay him back with their own bread rations he refused.   

The union brought about with Christ in the Eucharist was for Kolbe, the most important food for spiritual life; it was strength for the journey that is founded in the mutual penetration of God and the soul.   Kolbe understood and experienced this great mystery with considerable faith and continuity. It was a miracle of God’s love that he entered into profoundly and with conviction.

And here we are today – gathered as a community to break bread. Just as Kolbe, just as Christians in every age before us. And  just as the living bread sustained Kolbe and his fellow prisoners, so it continues to sustain us today.

I think it is truly profound that as we meet together to break bread it unites us with earlier worshipping generations and to the early church. Just as they met around the Lord’s table, so we too gather in fellowship for a family meal. This sense of community reconnects us each Sunday with the Eucharist of the New Testament, where worshippers were in union with each other and Christ.

The Eucharist itself is a dynamic reality in that it connects us to the past, present and future.

The past in that is points us back to the sacrifice of Jesus on Good Friday. It points to the cross where Christ was broken and his blood poured out. Indeed the symbols used by Jesus at the last supper, had at the time a resonance with history, the reshaping of the Passover. Jesus through the Last Supper assigned meanings to the traditional Passover meal of bread and wine.

The Eucharist connects us to the present,  as we share a fellowship meal in the here and now. The sharing of the one loaf and one cup uniting us not only with Christ but with one another. As we receive from the table, we encounter again and again the transformative power of Christ and the future in that it points forward to the promised kingdom of God. It is a foretaste of the banquet which God has prepared.

As we hear from our Gospel reading Jesus says “ I am the living bread which has come down from heaven”. He is no ordinary bread but the living bread. Just as he told the Samaritan woman at the well that he was the living water, so he now tells us that he is the living bread. We encounter Jesus in the living bread of Communion but also we take in Christ from reading and digesting the Scriptures.  We take in Christ from experiencing the Holy Spirit in other loving people. We take in Christ every day as we encounter scenes and situations that invite us to give ourselves in love by serving the needs of others. As we serve the needs of others, the love of Christ enters us more fully.

Jesus is never just ordinary bread that sustains the body which sustains us for our physical lives, Jesus the living bread provides us with energy and nourishment for our spiritual, emotional and moral lives. Jesus is the source of eternal life, the source of the values of our daily lives, the source of love for our daily lives. The basic food staple of the world is bread and Jesus is the basic spiritual staple of the world.

 Jesus in the gospel reading is pointing to bread as a metaphor that stands for our deepest needs, our deepest hungers and our deepest nourishment for life. However, it is not about gathering around the Lord’s table and thinking that all our work is completed. For as I said early, this is a foretaste of the  banquet which God has prepared for us.  As the bread of life, Jesus says take from me your fulfillment.  Know that every act you do testifies to the Kingdom. Every act of forgiveness and of generosity. Every act of justice and compassion. Every act of shared burdens. Every act of hope and of understanding. Every act, as Paul says, of building up each other, of building up the whole body of Christ, in love. Every such act gives life to the world.  In each of these, he who is the living bread is present; it is he, who is working. I pray we can all be nourished by this and never go hungry. Amen

A Glimpse of God's Glory

 Mark 9:2-9 

Every year at this time – in it's lectionary, the churchgoes mountain climbing. In today’s Gospel we find ourselves up a mountain with Jesus, Peter James and John on a journey which has a very unexpected turn.

Mountains have always fascinated me.  I have scaled quite a lot of mountains myself in my time. Many of which have been in the Lake District. We keep a record and we have so far reached the summit of 76 Lakeland mountains and have around another exhausting 138 to go!

There are some mountains however that are well beyond my physical capabilities and where that is the case I tend to be a bit of an arm chair mountaineer. I enjoy reading about other people’s feats of physical endurance and I have read many books about ascents of Everest and other mountains in the Himlalayas and the Alps.

The Himalayas is probably the most spectacular mountain range of them all. It is home to world’s highest peaks and the range is vast – over 1500 miles long.

Being mountain addicts my husband and I had the great fortune to visit Nepal a few years ago. Being post monsoon season we were not able to walk to the base camp of Everest so we decided to do the next best thing and fly over the top of Everest. It was quite an expensive trip and there was a huge risk that we might not see anything due to the cloud.  I confess I am not the worlds best in a plane, especially small planes with only a few seats. However I decided to be brave and off we went, up into the clouds.  The pilot circled the summit several times but the cloud just hung above it like a thick blanket.  Almost defeated he said he would circle one more time and then we would have to return to Katmandu airport. Just as he turned the plane, the summit came into sight and the veil of cloud moved away. Beneath was a most spectacular sight. A mountain which is over 29000 feet talk and it was truly breathtaking and my words today cannot adequately describe the awesome sight I had before me. I had seen many pictures of Everest previously but nothing compared to this. From this vantage point I saw things I could only have dreamed of. Being above the summit gave me a whole new perspective.   Everest is a very special mountain in the eyes of the Nepalise. It is known by them as Chomolungma meaning “Holy Mother”. In the Buddist and Hindu religions they believe the Himalayas to be the abode of the Gods. They recognise that mountains are special spiritual places where man finds God.

I can very much appreciate this myself as often I feel I encounter God when I traverse a mountain. Walking up to the top of a mountain can be exhausting but also exhilirating. On a clear day with no fog, no trees, no obstructions, on reaching the summit you can things from there which you would never see from ground level. The effort is often rewarded with an amazing view.  As you look out from the summit you see a  new persepctive on the world, you see things you have never seen or noticed before, you see the vastness of landscape and the wonder of God’s  creation. 

So today we have accompanied Jesus, Peter, James and John up a mountain. The steep journey was probably quite tiring in the heat. We are not sure which mountain it was. Some believe that the Transfiguration took place on Mount Tabor, others say it was more likely to be Mount Hermon just north of Caesarea Philippi. Peter, James and John must have been pretty terrified at what they saw before them. On their journey so far with Jesus, the disciples were slowly realizing just who Jesus was. Now on the side of the mountain they can see Jesus from a new perspective. They see for the first time the reality of God’s kingdom. Jesus is seen in another dimension. As they stare at Jesus, who became dazzling white, they can look just for a moment, into a different reality. Jesus is bathed in a wonderful light which transforms his whole being. The disciples see that Jesus isn’t just talking about God’s kingdom as if it is a figment of his imagination but that God’s kingdom is a reality. We see too, Moses and Elijah. They stand as witnesses to Jesus true identity. Moses was the supreme law giver of Israel and Elijah was the first and greatest of the prophets. Peter’s comment underlines his lack of understanding. He is honoring Jesus by putting him on a par with Moses and Elijah. But as the Gospel unfolds, we hear of the uniqueness of Jesus “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!”  As Moses and Elijah met with Jesus they saw in Jesus all they had dreamed of in the past. They saw in him all that history had longed and hoped for. At this moment on the mountain the disciple’s  glimpse God’s glory which  would change them forever.  Jesus saw in stark clarity the inevitable journey to suffering and cross. At this point Jesus knew his death would only be weeks away but he was assured that he would rise from the dead in the glory of the Father.

Some of you may have read the book by CS Lewis or seen the film called The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe. The story tells of children who go into a wardrobe and enter a strange land called Narnia.  The wardrobe stands in their bedroom, a familiar place yet behind a few coats and other items of clothing there is a whole new world.  A world where people and strange creatures live. A world where there is a fight between good and evil.  If you have seen the film, you may remember the scene where the evil witch can only be defeated by the sacrifice of the strong and powerful lion Aslan. Aslan saves the life of the child Edmund by giving his own life in the boy's place. In so doing he acts in accordance with the rules laid down by the Emperor.

The Lion, the Watch and the Wardrobe has many powerful messages which assist with our understanding of today’s Gospel. It points us to think beyond what we can see and that the other world is actually just a short distance away. In the story of the transfiguration, Jesus shows just how close that world is. The transfiguration is a window onto that world where those who have gone before abide in the love of God. On this mountain as we stand with Jesus and his disciples we receive a foretaste of those eternal joys to come.

At times we may be like Peter. We may be scared and get things wrong. The transformation of Jesus on the mountain side also served to transform his disciples. Witnessing this event must have changed them forever.  It must have strengthened them and gave them hope, it assured them that all would be well.

But now as we descend the mountain we return to our current reality to get on with our every day lives. Just like the disciples our daily lives may be fraught with challenges and difficulties. There may be times when we doubt our faith or are tempted to give up. But we, like the disciples can look back and remember the time we climbed the mountain and shared the vision with Peter, James and John.  A vision which was to give us the strength to face our fears and difficulties, a vision which enables us to respond to God and live a life beyond ourselves until we too can share in Christ’s glory forever. So we thank God for the opportunity to accompany Jesus on that journey up the mountain and how standing on that mountain we too as well as Peter, James and John have  gained a new perspective.

Testify to the Light

 John 1 6-8, 19 – 28

Advent 3

A few weeks ago I was reading a newspaper and noticed an article with the headline “Christmas cutbacks”. It said most people in the UK this year would be trying to cut back on the amount they spend this Christmas. Thinking about this I decided to be a little frugal myself. I thought that perhaps it would be nice to make gifts for a few close friends. How nice it is to receive a gift made by someone as it seems to mean a lot more. After much consideration I decided that for one of my friends I would make a nativity set made of clay. Now on the surface this sounds a good idea. But when I told my husband and parents they both had the same reaction “you have got to be joking – you are SO bad at art” I have to confess that I was actually told that I couldn’t take art at school because I was so bad at it. Undeterred I bought some clay and set to work. Mary, Joseph and the baby in a manger and then a donkey and an ox. By the time I got to the ox I realised that this whole thing had proved much more difficult than I could have imagined. What I had in my mind’s eye hadn’t really translated into reality. When my husband got back from work I told him that the art work was complete and he went into the kitchen to see it. He looked at it and after what seemed like 5
minutes of silence he said “You have made it look hideous on purpose!” When my Father saw it he asked why there was a Staffordshire bull terrier in the manger scene!! 

But seriously, perhaps having to be a little bit more frugal this year is a good thing.  It focuses our minds upon what is really important. It brings us back to remembering that the value is not in the price we pay for something but in the sentiment in which it is given. I think it is also important to remember that giving this season doesn’t just have to just mean the giving of material things. Giving could mean reaching out into wider community with an act of kindness or friendship. The message of Jesus is always that it is more blessed to give than receive. Indeed any giving, be it of ourselves or a physical gift, which is offered in a spirit of generosity and love, let’s some of Christ’s light illuminate the darkness.

Light and darkness are two words which we hear a lot about in Advent. We hear in our Gospel reading today how light is used to describe the coming of Jesus. “A man come sent by God, his name was John. He came as a witness as a witness to speak for the light, so that everyone might believe through him. He was not the light only a witness to the light”

The Gospel writer is careful to tell us that John the Baptist was indeed important, but that he was not the light, but only a witness to it.  John’s function was only to be a preparer of the way. Any greatness he had came from the greatness of the one whose coming he foretold. He is a wonderful example of someone who was prepared to stand back in order that Jesus could be seen. John saw himself merely as a signpost, a messenger who points to Christ. One who was not worthy even to untie the strap of Jesus’ sandal. To undo the strap your master’s sandal was slave’s work and there was a Rabbinic saying which said, that a disciple might do for his master anything that a servant did except untie his sandals. This was too menial a task for even a disciple to carry out. And here was John announcing that he was not even fit to be a slave of the one who was coming. We are told that John the Baptist stands in the darkness of wilderness and cries out “Here is Light!” The gospel writer want us to understand something about the wilderness: The wilderness always leads to the Light. It is way out of slavery, the way out of Exile. It is the path to freedom for all God's people.

Our Old Testament reading from Isaiah this morning, was probably written after the people of Israel returned from Exile. It foretells the total salvation of God’s people: bodily, spiritually, individually and socially and tells us of the good news of deliverance.  The prophet says that God has empowered him to act on God’s behalf; God has “anointed” him, commissioned him to preach and to hear the Word of faith, to understand God’s word, and to be strengthened in following it.

This is a message of rescue for God’s people, in all ways. And our deliverance comes from Jesus, the real light that had came to bring salvation to the world. Yes, before Jesus there were other lights that had been followed, but Jesus was the only genuine light, the real light to guide us upon our way. When Jesus came into the world he came to light the darkness.   Here is the Messiah, here is hope and his name is Jesus.

I wonder if you have you ever been in a situation where you have experienced complete darkness? Literally where there is no light at all and it is completely pitch black?. Some years ago I experienced just that. I had applied for a job as a Police Officer and part of the selection process was to go to an outward bound centre in Wales where my fitness and endurance would be tested. The first day was exhausting, we scaled a mountain and were dropped into an estuary in freezing conditions in the middle of November. The evening came and we went off to our dormitories for some well earned sleep. Unexpectedly at 1.30.am the lights went on and we were told we had five minutes to get dressed. Once dressed we were all loaded into a minibus and driven off into the night. We were told that we were being taken to a forest and that we would be dropped off at quarter mile intervals and would be left there until they decided to come and collect us. We had no idea how long this would be but were warned that it was possible that someone may creep up on us and it was our job to remain vigilant. On reaching our destination we were then blindfolded and led off into the forest. I was the first to be left. They took off the blindfold and left me next to a tree and said they would be back some time later. What struck me was just how dark it was. There was no moon light and it was so dark that I couldn’t see my hand in front of my face. Fortunately I had a digital watch which, if you pressed a button, lit up and I could see what time it was. It was 2.30am. I decided to stay with my back to the tree as that way no one could creep up on me from behind and I would fell less vulnerable.  It is strange that when you are in complete darkness you become acutely aware of sounds and the sounds of the forest seemed to be amplified. If I actually thought about the darkness I could feel almost a sense of claustrophobia setting in.  I found myself trying to remember poems I had memorised just to pass the time. What made it worse was that I didn’t know how long I was going to be left in this situation.

Eventually an hour and a half later I saw the beam of a torch in the distance. As torch penetrated the darkness and I felt such a sense of relief. At last after what seemed like an eternity, there was hope of being restored back to a place of safety. By the time I was returned to the dormitory it was 4.30am. Despite all of this we were up again at 6.30am for another round of physical endurance. But at least now I felt secure surrounded by the light of the morning.

It is true that for many Christmas will be a difficult time this year. For them, their day to day life may be shrouded in darkness for many reasons. There will those who mourn the loss of loved ones, those who will be separated from their family, those who have lost their jobs and face hardship.

 As we receive the Gospel message today, we find ourselves during this Advent season not only preparing ourselves for Christmas in the material things but in preparing our hearts and lives in readiness for the coming of Jesus  by letting in His light.  As Christians we, like John the Baptist, are called to testify to the light. When John announced the coming of the messiah in his day, there was a risk that people would not hear that message and so there is the same risk with us. The distraction of the hustle and bustle in the run up to Christmas can lessen our ability to attend to the things which are most important. Perhaps we need to ask ourselves -  How will we testify to the light? When people look at us will they see Christ’s shining back?

Advent provides us with an opportunity to search for the footprints of Jesus in the human lives of our community and our neighbours.  If the coming of Christ brings a message for the bereaved, the homeless, the unemployed, are we announcing that message through a spirit of generosity and love? Are we reflecting the light of Jesus in our everyday lives? Just as I was consoled with a sense of hope when I saw the torch beam in the darkness of the woodland, so Jesus comes to us, he is so much more than just a glimmer in the darkness but comes as the beacon of hope for the world. Jesus is present in the darkness and he will stand in the wilderness with us. He came to give us light, so that we might, in turn, give light to others.
 On this Gaudete Sunday we rejoice that we are people of light and Advent hope and as we move closer to Christmas, may we  find the space and time to reflect the light of Christ to all those we encounter.        Amen

Temptation in the Wilderness

Matthew 4 v 1 – 8

When I mentioned that I was writing this sermon my husband asked what the subject was. I told him that it was about temptation which he thought was rather interesting.  I asked him whether he could recall ever being tempted. He thought for a while and said “actually I have!”  I was intrigued to know more.  He said that there was something he had done many years ago which he still feels guilty about today. Getting more interested by the minute, I started to imagine all sorts of things. Had he robbed a bank or committed some other terrible deed. He then began to confess that once when he was out with a group of boys a similar age he did something which was quite wrong. He stole a white chocolate mouse from the corner shop!! I hasten to add that he was six at the time!

This got me thinking about temptation. Oscar Wilde famously said

“ I can resist anything but temptation” . A saying I think we can all relate to! It brings to mind a story I one heard about a clergyman's wife who had a penchant for buying expensive dresses. In fact, it became quite a problem as she would fritter away his meagre stipend, not being able to resist a good frock. One evening while they were talking the clergyman reprimanded his wife but she replied "but I can't help myself. I just have to buy them". Her husband was clear in his response, "you are being tempted by Satan. Next time you are in a shop and feel tempted that way, say "get behind me Satan". A week later she came back from the shops with another new dress. Her husband was very angry. "Did you not do as I suggested?" he asked, "I did" she replied "as I tried the dress on I said, "get behind me Satan". The only thing was, he said "it looks even nicer from behind"". (I promise that this story doesn’t relate to our vicar’s wife!)

The very nature of temptation is that it’s hard to resist - it’s designed to make you give in. When you think of temptation you really think of it in terms of being tempted to do something good. It is usually linked to someone doing something they shouldn’t or that is forbidden. Often when we picture someone being tempted we imagine someone with a small red devil on one shoulder and an angel on the other. Often the red devil has the louder voice.

In biblical thought “to tempt‟ means to test something or it can mean an attempt by Satan to invite a person to sin. The gospel passage we read today was about Jesus being led into the desert by the Holy Spirit in preparation for his ministry. We are told that Jesus withdrew to the desert and fasted for 40 days and 40 nights. If you imagine spending nearly 6 weeks in the wilderness, a rocky and parched place where he will have eaten nothing. For Jesus as for many, the wilderness provided the open, silent space needed for seeking direction and purpose. Tradition has it that Jesus climbed into a high cave of Mt. Qua- rantal  in the wilderness west of the Jordan, a place which is today the location of the Monastery of the Temptation. This high place, for centuries attracted pilgrims who would fast pray and seek answers.

The desert is a powerful place, it is a place where you live on the edge. It is a place where there is little protection, without the trappings which go with everyday life. If we were to go there we would be faced with great and ultimate realities. The desert brings you to the ultimate questions and personal challenges.  It was when Jesus had grown weak and hungry as the hot sun beat down upon him that temptation came.

It is important to remember that this passage which describes the temptation of Christ is preceeded with his baptism in the river Jordon. Jesus now certain of being touched by the Holy Spirit. For in the baptism of Jesus - Jesus indeed submits to this baptism of repentance as a sign of his messianic vocation and calling to bring reconciliation between God and humanity. The voice from heaven proclaims his divine Sonship: ‘This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased'.

And so three times we are told Jesus is tempted to forget his call and to use his new power and popularity for personal comfort and gain, political influence and glory, and even free himself from suffering and death.

Faced with three temptations he had every opportunity to go against the will of God. To have turned the stones into bread would have been to betray the faith Jesus had in his father to provide for him in every way. Throwing himself off the temple and letting the angels catch him would have been to subject the Lord to some sort of test which is not the mark of a trusting Son. worshipping Satan would have represented the destruction of all the faithful obedience which Jesus wanted to show to his Father. He would have got what he knew was his: the worship of all the nations, but he would have sold his birthright in doing it. Three times Jesus turned his back on this dark tormentor and embraced a mission that would lead to his death.

We may have long term struggles with temptation and sin. But these struggles for me demonstrate that God has not given up on us. The fact that we feel tension when we think about acting against God’s will should reassure us that God is very close to us. If we did not belong to God then we would sin without remorse. The struggle is proof of who we are. There is no doubt that we will loose many of our battles as we strive to live Christian lives. When we fail God is ready to forgive. The truth is we are all God’s children. All to often we tend to allow confusion and guilt to rule and let our fears bargain for certainties which cannot be given. We trade love for short-term profits. We crave success rather than transformation and success becomes our mission even our obsession. Worldly wealth provides the measure of our worth, instead of our value as human beings. All this we do because, at all costs, we seek to avoid sacrifice, pain, inconvenience, failure, humiliation, and even death in order to maintain our own sense of control. This control. This way of power is rebuffed by Jesus who adopts a very different way of living.

And God surprises us in the midst of our failures and shortcomings by offering to us transforming love. God uses the reality of our lives as the media through which we find love, wholeness, and life. God

uses that which we avoid to provide that which we most deeply desire.

We are meant to love and to be loved. To be whole human beings and healthy communities. God wishes us to be fulfilled and fulfilling and the God who indwells us works only and solely to this end. We block the process with selfish and self destructive distractions. Pride. Envy. Greed. Malice. Anger. Loving of the trappings of living rather than loving life itself. When we look at life in the 21^st century we see uncertainties and dishonesty. We live with the constant threats of terrorism, an economy which is faltering through greed  and we have even seen dishonesty from those who represent us in government. We have replaced trust and service with an increased obsession with results and we are unforgiving of the sins of others.

But if we strip everything away we are just fragile and needy human beings who need to love and be loved.  We, like Jesus, can choose to resist temptation.  We can choose to listen for love, seek truth, and allow God to build trust. Listening and Learning that we have God within us and that the still small voice is holding us in balance as we walk life’s tight rope.

The passage  from Matthew gives hope to all of those who face difficulty. Jesus went into the wilderness, but he did not go alone. Neither do we go alone as we walk in dangerous places. God is with us as we seek to walk in his ways. When we walk with Christ , the Spirit of Jesus comes with us to give us strength to make right choices and live in the knowledge that this mortal life is but a brief moment in God’s time. Our lives will be filled with many challenges, but we do not face these challenges alone – God walks with us.  Amen

Forgiveness, power and presence

Matthew 18 15 – 20

A couple of weeks ago I was talking to someone who  was telling me how her church was setting up a drop in cafe and how shocked she had been that Christian’s had behaved so badly in the process.  There had been arguments about how the coffee shop furniture was going to be set out, there had been conflict about where the cakes were going to be on display. She said it is always the same. Even at the Church fayre people are always arguing about the fact that the book stall has always been at the left side of the hall for the last twenty years.  I am sure that her church isn’t unique. Her parting comment was that these people should be ashamed of themselves and this sort of thing shouldn’t happen amongst Christian people. Well I would agree, in an ideal world we should be able to live harmoniously but the truth is that the church is actually full of sinner and inevitably there will be times of conflict, times when we perhaps argue or disagree. It is how we respond to this that sets Christians apart.

Some years ago I used to manage education projects for offenders. Often we would help people who had been released from prison who were out on license having committed very serious crimes. Ex murderers, rapists and sex offenders. I recall one man who was released from prison who had committed a very serious offence and after 15 years he was released into the community. Having completed his sentence and filled with remorse, all he wanted to do was to try and build a life and give something back to make amends for the wrongs of the past. However, given his offence, he was obliged by law to disclose this to potential employers. As a consequence, time after time he was judged and sentenced again and again as most employers didn’t want to know. It was evident, at the time, that forgiveness and reconciliation was not on the agenda. Fortunately after some time the man managed, with our help, to find work and begin working towards a new life. One employer was willing to forget the past and give the man a future. By this act of kindness  he was given new hope and new opportunities. The same opportunities afforded to us by the forgiveness of God.

I am sure many of us can be quick to judge and find it difficult to forgive.  I am sure many of us will be able to think to a time in our life where there has been conflict in our family or amongst friends. I know people who have fallen out with family members and never reconciled over a life time. Stubbornly refusing to give in, keeping the feud alive for years.

Indeed as I mentioned earlier, people are often disappointed when this happens in church communities. As Christians when conflict arises or we are presented with situations where we find ourselves standing in judgment of others, our response as Christians should be to share the same forgiveness that God gives to us. Not to seek revenge or harbour hurt, because inevitably, that path always leads to pain and suffering. People should be able to identify us as Christians by the response we have to those difficult and challenging situations.

Our Gospel reading today is often referred to by some scholars as a manual for church discipline. It was written at a time when the early church was having to deal with internal conflicts.  Matthew is careful to ensure that these rules are communicated in a way which shows the enormous graciousness of God. Jesus describes a process for church discipline and of course rules for the community were common in Jesus day. Here was a  community who needed to be reassured by Jesus, that it is given divine authority to take hard decisions where necessary, yet all the while certain of the guiding presence of Jesus in its midst.

Jesus gives us his wisdom. First he suggests that we should nip things in the bud before they escalate. If someone offends you, go to them in private and share your feelings. I suppose our human nature is not to do this and often to let things bubble under the surface rather than deal with them at the source. Going direct to the person prevents it going public and stops things getting out of control and causing embarrassment. Jesus tells us if this doesn’t work we are to  bring witnesses who can act as arbitrators, seeking repentance and forgiveness. If this doesn’t work let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax-collector. Jesus is not suggesting that we give up on them and exclude them – that would not reflect Jesus attitude towards sinners. As we know Jesus was often accused of associating with tax collectors and sinners because he never tired of reaching out to the outcasts and law breakers. He never gave up on any one and Jesus expects us to do the same. The  truly Christ-like response to someone who sins against us is forgiveness – and today’s passage and it’s process is one by which the offender needs to recognise that what they’ve done is wrong, which is important too. It’s of course the way God behaves towards us – he is always, always willing to forgive – we need to recognise that there are times when we do wrong and remind ourselves that God never fails to forgive.

A few of you may know that I was brought up a Roman Catholic. I remember clearly at the age of 7 being prepared to make my first confession before my first communion. At the time I remember being quite anxious about having to go into a tiny box room. The room had a grill in the partition and behind the grill sat the priest. I recall getting a little worried about what sins I should tell the priest and whether when I got in there I would freeze with terror. When the day finally arrived I went into the confessional box and blurted out the words I had to say, waiting for the priest to pronounce absolution.  On leaving the confessional box I vividly remember having a warm glow inside and thought to myself that if I was to die right at this moment I would be in such a holy state and my soul would be so shiny and clean that I would be transported immediately to heaven without question. The problem was it wasn’t very long after I left the confessional box that another sin was committed and with a black mark upon my soul, I would have to return all over again the following week to have my soul repolished!   It became obvious that despite being a Christian I was still capable of separating myself from God by sin but that God’s hand of forgiveness was always there to save me, no matter how many times I asked.

When we look at this passage we see that at the very heart of the church community is God’s presence.  An abiding presence of forgiveness and love. That at the very heart of the church is the action of forgiveness and judgment over the lives of people. What we say on earth in Jesus name, is just as true in heaven and central to the church is the ability to speak forgiveness into the lives of all people. I must admit when I read the words “whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” I get an image of arriving at the pearly gates being greeted by St Peter with a tick list of my rights and wrongs.  But at a more profound level, it charges us with the responsibility for modelling the relationships of the Kingdom here on earth.

Finally we hear Jesus tell us that “ where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.” The rule amongst the Jewish people was that that at least ten men had to be present to create an assembly and yet here was Jesus telling us that where two or three gather in his name, things would be different. It is Jesus presences that marks the life of the community of the faithful.  For me this is an incredible promise to God’s people. In an age where we see small churches struggling to survive, Jesus reminds us that our strength does not rest in numbers but in his presence. And it is surely because of this promise that we are able to comprehend more fully Christ’s love for his church.

Amen