A short service for Mothering Sunday

May the grace, mercy and love of God be with us all. Amen.

Collect 

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

Confession

As his children, let us come to our heavenly Father in penitence and trust, to confess our sins and ask his forgiveness.

As parents are tender to their children, so is God tender to those who trust in him. Lord, have mercy:

Lord, have mercy.

God will not always rebuke us, neither does his displeasure last for ever. Christ, have mercy:

Christ, have mercy.

In calm and tranquillity let us find relief and shelter in his love. Lord, have mercy:

Lord, have mercy.

May almighty God, who sent his Son into the world, born of Mary, to save us from sin, bring us his pardon and peace, that we may rest secure in him.  Amen.

God’s Word - Colossians, chapter 3, verses 12 to 17 :-

Put on the garments that suit God’s chosen and beloved people: compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience. Be tolerant with one another and forgiving, if any of you has cause for complaint: you must forgive as the Lord forgave you. Finally, to bind everything together and complete the whole, there must be love. Let Christ’s peace be arbiter in your decisions, the peace to which you were called as members of a single body. Always be thankful. Let the gospel of Christ dwell among you in all its richness; teach and instruct one another with all the wisdom it gives you. With psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, sing from the heart in gratitude to God. Let every word and action, everything you do, be in the name of the Lord Jesus, and give thanks through him to God the Father.

    John, chapter 19, verses 25 to 27 :-

Near the cross on which Jesus hung, his mother was standing with her sister, Mary wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. Seeing his mother, with the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, Jesus said to her, ‘Mother, there is your son’; and to the disciple, ‘There is your mother’; and from that moment the disciple took her into his home.

Thanks be to God, for this his holy word. Amen.

Reflection 

Our second reading today, from St John’s Gospel, is very short, just three verses - in fact the lectionary requires only two and a half - and yet there is a great deal in those verses. A certain amount of confusion, to begin with. It’s not entirely clear how many women were there, for example; the list of names in the original Greek could imply anything between two and four.

Many commentators interpret John’s words as referring to four women, however: Mary the mother of Jesus, Mary Magdalene, some of whose story we know, Mary the wife of Clopas, of whom we know nothing, and - un-named - Mary’s sister. It’s suggested that this is the mother of James and John, Salome, whose presence at the cross is noted by Mark and Matthew - which would make James and his brother John cousins of Jesus. His mother’s presence at the cross would also explain how John (“the beloved disciple”) came to be there, since he and all the other disciples had initially fled.

It’s impressive and deeply moving that Jesus, staring death in the face and in the most tremendous agony, has his mother’s future care in mind. Not her physical care, as we know she had other children who would provide for her - but we also know that those other children did not as yet understand what Jesus was doing, and certainly couldn’t understand how it was, and why it was, he came to die.

Jesus commits his mother to John’s keeping, and John to hers, so that they could provide for each other the spiritual support and comfort they would need in the coming days. Here we have the eldest son, at the moment of greatest pain and darkness, not forgetting his duty of care as a son for his mother; here we have too God’s anointed, the man for others, even at this hour of crisis thinking more of the sorrows of others than of his own.

But study any part of John’s Gospel, and you will find there are often layers of meaning: you may well find there’s something more behind the immediate and obvious meaning of the words - and that could well be true here.

Some scholars think so, anyway: so Mary represents the Jewish faith and tradition from which God’s new work of salvation springs, while the beloved disciple stands for the new church as it grows and develops. And if we see the words of Jesus in that light, there’s a message here both to the historic faith and the new Church, that neither is complete without the other; they belong together. The message to John, and therefore to the Church, is: “Never forget where you came from.”

And that’s a good message to hear on this day which is not just Mother’s Day but also Mothering Sunday. It’s a time to celebrate not only our own mothers but also our mothers in the faith and our spiritual origins; to mark and celebrate and reflect on too, all the ways in which we belong together. That’s why one tradition on this day used to be people going back to the original mother church of an area, or perhaps to the cathedral.

And that takes me to our first reading, and Paul’s instructions to the church at Colossae, a city in Asia Minor, now within modern Turkey. Effectively, he’s writing to them about how to live together as family, and about how their behaviour toward one another should reflect and convey the grace, forgiveness and renewing love they have received from God.

Human beings can be a quarrelsome lot - and even families, sadly, are not immune from this. I frequently fall out with my brothers; but here’s the point - we always fall back in again. Tolerance, forgiveness and a readiness to sort things out rather than turn disagreements into permanent rifts - that should be the mark of the Christian fellowship as family. There’s a word for that, and it’s mothering.

Mothers may well tell their children off, may well discipline them, certainly won’t always be doing or providing whatever their children want, however hard they may pester. But at the same time a good mother will always want the best for her child, and want her child to find his or her own way in life and do well - and she never stops loving. As Paul says, “To bind everything together there must be love.”

And that, more than anything, is what we celebrate today: love that bind, love that cares, love too that sets free, that forgives, that supports and applauds. The love which forms us, and the love that inspires love within us.

Statement of faith - 

We believe in God the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. We believe in God the Son, who lives in our hearts through faith, and fills us with his love. We believe in God the Holy Spirit, who strengthens us with power from on high. We believe in one God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Prayer Pointers - Pray for the Church everywhere as a place of welcome, forgiveness and mutual care; and that the mark of our mission may be a love that reflects and conveys the saving love of our Lord. Pray for the churches of Chile and for the Anglican Province of Chile. Pray for our own Diocese, for Richard our Bishop, and today for all who visit our churches, as pilgrims, as tourists or to trace family history.

Give thanks for mothers, for family life and for all who care for those who are in any way vulnerable. In the week of St Patrick’s Day, pray for the churches and people of Ireland. Young Carers’ Day falls this week - pray for all who in early life are caring for others. Pray for peace in the world, and for those in places of leadership and authority, that they may govern wisely and well.

Pray for all who are ill or in any kind of anxiety or pain - for their care, treatment and recovery, and for the safety and protection of hospital, health and  care home staff. Pray for all that gives support for family life, especially at times of illness, difficulty or loss. Pray for all who are on the front line in the battle against the Covid virus, and for staff in vaccination centres.

Pray for our families and friends, and for the life of our churches and communities. Pray for our own families and the families around us, and also for our local schools and nurseries. Pray for all to play their part in continuing to act safely and with thoughts for others: may we continue to look out for each other, and keep safe ourselves.

Ever-loving God, your care for us is greater even than a mother’s love for her child; teach us to value a mother’s love and see it as an expression of your grace, that we may ever feel more deeply your love for us in Christ Jesus our Saviour.  Amen.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory for ever and ever.  Amen.

Blessing - 

May the peace of Christ rule in our hearts and our homes, and may his love be our example and guide; and may the blessing of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, be with us all, evermore.  Amen.

A sermon for Mothering Sunday

Our second reading today, from St John’s Gospel, is very short, just three verses - in fact the lectionary requires only two and a half - and yet there is a great deal in those verses. A certain amount of confusion, to begin with. It’s not entirely clear how many women were there, for example; the list of names in the original Greek could imply anything between two and four.

Many New Testament scholars would, however, agree that John is telling us there were four women there, and they were Mary the mother of Jesus, Mary Magdalene, some of whose story we know, Mary the wife of Clopas, of whom we know nothing, and - un-named - Mary’s sister. It’s suggested that this is Salome, whose presence at the cross is noted by Mark and Matthew, and that Salome was the mother of the disciples James and John, who were therefore first cousins to Jesus. His mother’s presence at the cross would also explain how it was that John (“the beloved disciple”) came to be at the foot of the cross, after he and all the other disciples had initially fled as Jesus was arrested.

It’s a deeply moving account. Jesus is staring death in the face and will have been in the most tremendous agony, and yet through all this pain he has his mother’s future care in mind. Not her physical care, as we know she had other children who would provide for her - but we also know that those other children did not as yet believe in what Jesus was doing, and certainly they couldn’t have understood how it was, and why it was, he had to die.

So we find Jesus committing his mother to John’s keeping, and John to hers, so that they’ll be able to provide for each other the spiritual support and comfort they’re going to need in the days to come. And this is both the eldest son, through all his pain, not abandoning his duty of care as a son for his mother; and at the same time God’s anointed one, the man for others, at the hour of crisis continuing to think more of the sorrows of others than of his own suffering and pain.

But study any part of John’s Gospel, and you will find there are often layers of meaning: you may well find there’s something more behind the immediate and obvious meaning of the words - and that could well be true here.

Some scholars think so, anyway: and they would see Mary in these words as representing the Jewish faith and tradition from which God’s new work of salvation springs, while the beloved disciple stands for the new church that will be founded in what Jesus does. If we see the words Jesus speaks in that light, we can find a message there both for the historic faith and for the new Church: neither is complete without the other; they belong together. The message to John, and therefore to the Church, is: “Never forget where you came from.”

And that’s actually quite a relevant message for today, which is not just Mother’s Day but also Mothering Sunday. For today is a time to celebrate not only our own mothers, and our own physical birth and upbringing, but also our mothering in the faith and our spiritual birth and formation; and as we mark both these things, to d reflect also on all the ways in which we belong together. That’s why one tradition on this day used to be that of people going back, perhaps in procession, to the original mother church of the area, or perhaps to the cathedral church of the diocese.

But let me move on now to our first reading today, from Paul’s letter to the church at Colossae, a significant city within Asia Minor, located now within modern Turkey. Paul is writing here about how the members of the church should live together as family - their behaviour toward one another should reflect and convey the grace, forgiveness and renewing love they have received from God. They won’t always agree, but what matters is how they deal with that: there should be, there needs to be, a depth of mutual care, of tolerance and respect and most of all of love, so that they know above all else that they belong together in Christ.

So their fellowship will be a joyful testimony to the love of God active within and among them. It has to be said that we human beings can be a quarrelsome lot - and even the closest of families won’t be entirely immune from this. To be honest, I do quite often fall out with my brothers; but the point is that we always fall back in again. We don’t let things fester, and we don’t mind not always seeing things the same way. And, as we see from Paul, tolerance, forgiveness and a readiness to sort things out rather than turn disagreements into permanent rifts - these things should be the mark of the Christian family, the mark to of the Christian fellowship as family. And there’s a word for that - it’s mothering.

Mothers may well tell their children off, and discipline them when they’re disobedient or naughty; and a good mum certainly won’t always be doing or providing whatever her children demand, however hard they may pester her. But at the same time she’ll be doing her best to provide what her children need; and she’ll be wanting the best for each child, and for each of them to find his or her own way in life and do well - and, fundamental to all that, she’ll never stop loving them. As Paul says, “To bind everything together there must be love.”

And that, more than anything, is what we celebrate today: the love that binds us as family, the love that inspires us to care, the love too that sets free, that forgives, the love that looks out for the other and supports and applauds and comforts and listens and deals with hurts. And the love which forms us and saves us, the love that kindles love within us: the love that makes us greater than our own mere selves.

 

A service and reflection for the Third Sunday of Lent

May the grace, mercy and love of God be with us all. Amen.

Collect 

Almighty God, whose most dear Son went not up to joy but first he suffered pain, and entered not into glory before he was crucified: mercifully grant that we, walking in the way of the cross, may find it none other than the way of life and peace; 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.

Confession

Let us admit to God the sin which always confronts us.

Lord God, we have sinned against you, and we have done evil in your sight. We are sorry, and repent of our sins. Have mercy on us according to your love. Wash away our wrongdoing and cleanse us from our sin. Renew a right spirit within us, and restore us to the joy of your salvation, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

May almighty God, who sent his Son into the world to save sinners, bring us his pardon and peace, now and for ever.  Amen.

God’s Word - I Corinthians, chapter 1, verses 18 to 25 :-

The message of the cross is sheer folly to those on the way to destruction, but to us, who are on the way to salvation, it is the power of God. Scripture says, ‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and bring to nothing the cleverness of the clever.’ Where is your wise man now, your man of learning, your subtle debater of this present age? God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish! As God in his wisdom ordained, the world failed to find him by its wisdom, and he chose by the folly of the gospel to save those who have faith. Jews demand signs, Greeks look for wisdom, but we proclaim Christ nailed to the cross; and though this is an offence to Jews and folly to Gentiles, yet to those who are called, Jews and Greeks alike, he is the power of God and the wisdom of God. The folly of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God stronger than human strength.

    John, chapter 2, verses 13 to 22 :-

As it was near the time of the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem.  In the temple precincts he found the dealers in cattle, sheep, and pigeons, and the money-changers seated at their tables. 

Jesus made a whip of cords and drove them out of the temple, sheep, cattle, and all. He upset the tables of the money-changers, scattering their coins. Then he turned on the dealers in pigeons: ‘Take them out of here,’ he said; ‘do not turn my Father’s house into a market.’ His disciples recalled the words of scripture: ‘Zeal for your house will consume me.’ 

The Jews challenged Jesus: ‘What sign can you show to justify your action?’  ‘Destroy this temple,’ Jesus replied, ‘and in three days I will raise it up again.’  The Jews said, ‘It has taken forty-six years to build this temple. Are you going to raise it up again in three days?’ But the temple he was speaking of was his body. After his resurrection his disciples recalled what he had said, and they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.

Thanks be to God, for this his holy word. Amen.

Reflection 

Living and ministering as I do on the border, last weekend was interesting, to say the least. Two national teams played a game of rugby in Cardiff, which ended more or less as I expected, if I’m honest - but the process was not without an element of controversy. And Facebook has been full of the cut and thrust of debate for much of this week. People on one side of the argument (and the border) have been getting very hot under the collar on the subject of poor refereeing standards; people on the other side have suggested that some people need to grow up, spit out their sour grapes and learn a bit of sportsmanship.

Imagine the same intensity of heated debate, but on matters not sporting but philosophical. That’s what Paul encountered in places like Athens and Corinth, as he travelled around the Graeco-Roman world talking about Jesus. He would start in the synagogues, among people of his own Jewish race. Then perhaps he would move on to the market-place, or wherever people met in debate. Some people listened, like the little church in Corinth to which our first reading was addressed; but many more didn’t. Some rejected him out of hand, some laughed at the foolish things he was saying, and now and again he got beaten up.

How could anyone follow a man who had been crucified? A man whose body had been mutilated and broken? The Greeks who heard Paul - for them the perfection of the body was paramount - look at the statues of their gods, each one super-human in their perfection. What Paul was trying to tell them seemed just completely foolish. And the Jews? Here is Paul trying to tell them that the Messiah, the one anointed by God, had died on a cross - and that this what was always supposed to happen! To talk like that was scandalous - it was impossible that God’s Messiah could die, especially in such a shameful way.

Paul’s message failed on both fronts, you see. It failed as the philosophy loved by the Greeks, and it failed as the traditional religious rituals valued by the Jews. But Paul pressed on regardless, proclaiming simply this: Christ, nailed to the cross. But that didn’t matter to Paul - neither philosophy or religious ritual mattered any more. What had transformed his life, and would transform the lives of those who did accept his word, was a new and life-giving relationship with God - established by a man who had chosen to die so that we might live, who had chosen to bear the burden of human sin so that we wouldn’t be crushed by it.

And Paul could see that the philosophical debates of the Greeks and the religious laws that governed Jewish life were in the own ways prisons: they trapped people within systems that led nowhere, did nothing, and could never save them from themselves. For Paul knew himself to be free: and he knew that what seemed like foolishness was wiser than all this world’s wisdom; and the weakness of God, the weakness of the crucified Saviour, is stronger than human strength.

Fundamental to this is something central to the Gospel stories - that Jesus was in control of his own destiny throughout. The story of the road to Calvary is not a story of doomed heroism, or brave but failed endeavour; no - what we see is a man who becomes painfully aware of what must happen to him, and yet he continues to walk that road. And in our reading from John’s Gospel, we see him forcing the issue, deliberately confronting those who will plan his death.

I think though that we also see him genuinely angry. It wasn’t the simple fact of commercial trade in the temple that angered him, though it must have distracted from the prayer and worship, and will have prevented non-Jews from easily entering the outer courts, something they should have been able to do. But it was also an abuse of power, and a way in which the poor were being exploited. To offer sacrifice, you had first to buy the bird or beast to be sacrificed; to make an offering of money you had to change your secular cash for temple coins. 

What made Jesus so angry? God deals with us graciously; he offers us his love, long before we ever deserve or merit it.  For the poor to be exploited and cheated in the one place where they should be fully aware of God’s welcoming love was truly scandalous. But there were also prophecies which made it clear that God’s anointed one, the Christ, would cleanse the temple; so Jesus was also declaring himself as Messiah, and making it clear to the authorities that the Messiah wasn’t there to serve the status quo but to overturn tables.

And this man calls us his brothers and sisters. Everything he does, he does for us. What should we offer him? Our love, our service, our sacrifice, and even our anger.

Statement of faith - 

We believe in God the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. We believe in God the Son, who lives in our hearts through faith, and fills us with his love. We believe in God the Holy Spirit, who strengthens us with power from on high. We believe in one God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Prayer Pointers - Pray for courage in living and sharing our faith, and that the Church may be tireless in its commitment to service and its opposition to all that denies freedom and civil rights. Pray for the churches of the Congo  and for the Anglican Province of Congo. Pray for our own Diocese, for Richard our Bishop, and today for the churches and communities of the Hereford Deanery.

Tomorrow is International Women’s Day: pray for equality of access to education and opportunity, and for those parts of our world where woman continue to be denied full rights. Pray for those in places of leadership and power in our world, and for wisdom and vision. Continue to pray that nations may co-operate and support each other as we face the challenge of Covid.  

Pray for all who are ill: for their care, treatment and recovery, and for the safety and protection of all who work in hospitals, care homes and other places of care. Pray for the victims of domestic abuse and violence, and for places of refuge, healing and care. Give thanks for the ongoing process of rolling out Covid vaccinations.

Pray for our families and friends, and for the life of our churches and communities. Pray for local shops, farmers’ markets, and all that helps support the principle of “buy local”. Pray that as we move into Spring we may continue to observe the Covid rules that help keep us all safe. Pray we may look out for each other, and keep safe ourselves.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory for ever and ever.  Amen.

Blessing - 

May Christ give us grace to grow in holiness, to take up our cross and follow him; and may the blessing of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, be with us all, evermore.  Amen.

A short sermon for the Third Sunday in Lent

 Living and ministering on the border between England and Wales can be challenging. Different Covid rules apply on each side, of course. That can cause some debate at times. But last weekend the debate wasn’t about Covid but about a game of rugby in Cardiff. To be honest, the end result of that match was more or less as I expected;  but the process of reaching that result was not without controversy, and the arguments and debates that followed the game have continued for much of the week on Facebook and wherever people virtually meet. On one side of the argument - and the border - they’re getting very hot under the collar on the subject of poor refereeing standards; and on the other side they’re suggesting with equal vehemence that some people need to grow up, spit out their sour grapes and learn a bit of sportsmanship.

Imagine the same intensity of heated debate, but not about sport but philosophy. That’s the world Paul encountered in places like Athens and Corinth, as he travelled around the Graeco-Roman world talking about Jesus. He would start in the synagogues, among people of his own Jewish race. Then he’d maybe move on to the market-place, or wherever people met in debate. And some folk were persuaded, like the little church in Corinth to which he wrote our first reading - but many more didn’t. Some rejected him out of hand, some laughed at the foolish things he was saying, and now and again he got beaten up.

How could anyone follow a man who had been crucified? A man whose body had been mutilated and broken? The Greeks who heard Paul - for them the perfection of the body was paramount - look at the statues of their gods, each one super-human in their beauty. What Paul was trying to tell them seemed just completely foolish. And the Jews? Here is Paul trying to tell them that the Messiah many of them were longing for, the one anointed by God, had died on a cross - and that this what was always supposed to happen! To talk like that was scandalous - it was impossible that God’s Messiah could die, especially in such a shameful way.

So Paul’s message failed on both fronts, you see. It failed in terms of Greek philosophy; and it failed the test of Jewish tradition. But Paul pressed on regardless, proclaiming Christ, nailed to the cross, whether people stopped their ears or not. For that didn’t matter to Paul - neither philosophy or religious ritual mattered any more. What had transformed his life, and would transform the lives of those who did accept his word, was a new and life-giving relationship with God, offered by a man who had chosen to die so that we might live, who had chosen to bear the burden of human sin so that we wouldn’t be crushed by it.

And Paul could see that the philosophical debates of the Greeks and the religious laws that governed Jewish life were in the own ways prisons: prisons that trapped people within systems that led nowhere, did nothing, and could never save them from themselves. Paul knew himself to be freed from all that: and he knew that what seemed like foolishness was wiser than all this world’s wisdom; he knew that the weakness of God, seen in the one who is crucified and is yet our Saviour, is stronger than human strength.

Fundamental to this is something central to the Gospel message - that Jesus was in control of his own destiny throughout. The story of the road to Calvary is not a tale of doomed heroism, it’s not a brave endeavour that in the end failed; no - what we see is a man who as he does his Father’s will becomes painfully aware of what must happen to him - yet he continues to walk that road, the way of the cross. 

And in our reading from John’s Gospel, we see Jesus forcing the issue. For as he throws the money changers and the dealers in pigeons out of the temple’s outer courts, he is consciously and deliberately confronting those who will plan his death. I’ll say more about that in a moment.

I think though that we also see Jesus genuinely angry at what was happening in his Father’s house. This isn’t a staged event: he was furious at what was going on. It wasn’t the simple fact that commercial trading was happening in the temple that angered Jesus, though that must have distracted from the prayer and worship, and will have prevented non-Jews from being able to enter the outer courts, something they should have been allowed to do. What most angered Jesus was the abuse of power, and the way in which the ordinary folk of the land, the poorer among them especially, were being exploited. To offer sacrifice, they must first buy the bird or beast to be offered; to make an offering of money they must first change their secular cash for temple coins. And those who held the franchise could charge what they liked, and did.

And Jesus was angry, because God deals with us graciously; he offers us his love, long before we ever deserve or merit it. And so for the poor to be exploited and cheated in the one place where they should be most completely aware of God’s welcoming love was more than scandalous. 

Old Testament prophecy made it clear that God’s Messiah would make his temple clean; so in his angry response to what was happening Jesus was also declaring himself as Messiah, and making it impossible for the authorities to ignore him. The Messiah wasn’t there to serve the status quo, he was there to overturn tables.

As he overturns the tables, Jesus declares himself to be on the side of all who are truly searching for God. And he will prove this in the manner of his dying. This is what had so changed Paul. And Jesus calls us his brothers and sisters. As he walks the way of the cross, everything he does, he does for us. So what should we offer him? Surely, our love, our service, our sacrifice, our passion for true justice, our prayerful obedience; and maybe even our anger.

A short service and reflection for the Second Sunday in Lent

May the grace, mercy and love of God be with us all. Amen.

Collect 

Almighty God, whose Son Jesus Christ fasted forty days in the wilderness, and was tempted as we are, yet without sin: give us grace to discipline ourselves in obedience to your Spirit; and, as you know our weakness, so may we know your power to save; 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.

Confession

Let us admit to God the sin which always confronts us.

Lord God, we have sinned against you; we have done evil in your sight. We are sorry and repent. Have mercy on us according to your love. Wash away our wrongdoing and cleanse us from our sin. Renew a right spirit within us, and restore us to the joy of your salvation, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

May almighty God, who sent his Son into the world to save sinners, bring us his pardon and peace, now and for ever.  Amen.

God’s Word - Romans, chapter 4, verses 13 to the end :-

It was not through law that Abraham and his descendants were given the promise that the world should be their inheritance, but through righteousness that came from faith. If the heirs are those who hold by the law, then faith becomes pointless and the promise goes for nothing; law can bring only retribution, and where there is no law there can be no breach of law. The promise was made on the ground of faith in order that it might be a matter of sheer grace, and that it might be valid for all Abraham’s descendants, not only for those who hold by the law, but also for those who have Abraham’s faith. For he is the father of us all, as scripture says: ‘I have appointed you to be father of many nations.’ In the presence of God, the God who makes the dead live and calls into being things that are not, Abraham had faith. When hope seemed hopeless, his faith was such that he became ‘father of many nations’, in fulfilment of the promise, ‘So shall your descendants be.’ His faith did not weaken when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (for he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb; no distrust made him doubt God’s promise, but, strong in faith, he gave glory to God,  convinced that what he had promised he was able to do. And that is why Abraham’s faith was ‘counted to him as righteousness’. 

The words ‘counted to him’ were meant to apply not only to Abraham but to us; our faith too is to be ‘counted’, the faith in the God who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead; for he was given up to death for our misdeeds, and raised to life for our justification.

    Mark, chapter 8, verses 31 to the end :-

Jesus began to teach the disciples that the Son of Man had to endure great suffering, and to be rejected by the elders, chief priests, and scribes; to be put to death, and to rise again three days afterwards. He spoke about it plainly. At this Peter took hold of him and began to rebuke him. But Jesus, turning and looking at his disciples, rebuked Peter. ‘Out of my sight, Satan!’ he said. ‘You think as men think, not as God thinks.’

 Then he called the people to him, as well as his disciples, and said to them, ‘Anyone who wants to be a follower of mine must renounce self; he must take up his cross and follow me. Whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and for the gospel’s will save it. What does anyone gain by winning the whole world at the cost of his life? What can he give to buy his life back? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this wicked and godless age, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him, when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.’

Thanks be to God, for this his holy word. Amen.

Reflection 

In our collect prayer we find this plea to God: “As you know our weakness, so may we know your power to save.” This prayer has always resonated with me. Jesus was “tempted as we are, yet without sin.” We, on the other hand, are tempted and fall. So we need God’s “power to save”.

Last week, I spent some time in interview with someone engaged in a project looking at part-time roles among the clergy. I’d offered myself, a little tongue in cheek, as an example of how not to do it. But preparing for the interview forced me to reflect on two sorts of relationship which both have a bearing on what I do, and they are contract and friendship.

Somewhere between the two of them we find the relationship mentioned a lot in scripture: covenant. In the Old Testament, God makes covenant relationships with his people, via certain individuals - Noah, for example, Moses, and King David; and most importantly, perhaps, Abraham. Abraham connects the three great faiths of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. All of them look back to Abraham as in some sense a father figure, and to the promise God made to him and to Sarah his wife.

“I will make you the father of many nations,” said God to Abraham. We find this in chapter 17 of the Book of Genesis. But God goes on to say that Abraham and his descendents must keep the covenant, and live according to his laws. A good Jew like Paul, brought up and schooled as a Pharisee, would have been taught that Abraham was the worthy recipient of God’s blessing, and so therefore was he, as he carefully and scrupulously kept every bit of the Law.

But that was a misreading of the story, Paul now says to the Romans in our first reading. That interpretation makes the covenant a contract, so that God is bound to do as promised, just as an employer is bound to pay the promised wage, so long as the worker turns up as required and completes the allotted tasks. But, says Paul, Abraham’s faith was “counted to him as righteousness” - which means that it’s the relationship that counts here, not the workrate. God is offering Abraham, and therefore us, not a contract but the hand of friendship, not a series of jobs to be completed, but a gracious welcome. And the true children of Abraham aren’t any one particular tribe or race or people, they’re anyone and everyone who lives by faith, and trusts in his love.

Paul had been brought up to love the Law, and to keep the Law, the Law of Moses. For a Pharisee, the way to deserve God’s favour was to keep every bit of the Law. But now Jesus had challenged and overturned this way of thinking, and exposed it for what it was - in the end something joyless and loveless and self-seeking. In Jesus we see the complete opposite of self-seeking, in the person often called “The Man for Others”, who gives all of himself for us.

In our reading from Mark, we find Jesus trying to explain to his disciples what is going to take place in Jerusalem, including that he’s going to die there. But they can’t get their heads round what he’s telling them, and Peter rounds on him and says, “This can’t happen to you.” And it didn’t have to. Jesus could have turned from that path - which is why he speaks to Peter as he does. For Satan, the voice of temptation, if you like, is speaking through Peter, and saying, “You don’t have to do this.”

And he doesn’t. Friendship isn’t a contract relationship. It’s something we choose to do. There is a built in fragility to even the deepest friendships, because a friendship can’t be required or enforced; but that’s also its strength, for it speaks of an underlying love, a valuing of the other person just for who they are, not for what they do. God values me - and you - just for who we are. He valued Abraham that way too. Vicars, even part-time ones, have jobs, and therefore a contract relationship - but with the HR department of the Diocese, not with God. I’m here because his love continues to draw me, to kneel before a cross.

Statement of faith - 

We believe in God the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. We believe in God the Son, who lives in our hearts through faith, and fills us with his love. We believe in God the Holy Spirit, who strengthens us with power from on high. We believe in one God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Prayer Pointers - We continue to pray for our keeping of this holy season, and that it may be a time of new awareness of God’s offer of friendship, and his cal to us to give of ourselves in the service of our neighbour. We pray for the churches of Central America, and for the Anglican Province of Central America. And we pray for our own Diocese, for Richard our Bishop, for this week’s meeting of Diocesan Synod, and for all involved in the care and conservation, development and re-ordering, of our church buildings.

We pray for the peace of our world, and for all who are denied peace or treated unjustly. We pray for the churches and people of Wales on the eve of St David’s Day. And we pray for co-operation and mutual support in the continuing battle against the Covid pandemic.  

We pray for all who are ill: for their care and recovery, and for the safety and protection of those who care for them. Today we also specially think of those in our world who suffer from rare diseases, and also for the care and treatment of those with eating disorders of various kinds. We give thanks for the ongoing process of ensuring all may receive Covid vaccinations.

We pray for our families and friends, and for the life of our churches and communities. We pray for all attending Lent groups in our parishes and deanery, and for all our local schools. We continue to pray for Covid rules to be respected. Help us to look out for each other, and to keep safe ourselves.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory for ever and ever.  Amen.

Blessing - 

May Christ give us grace to grow in holiness, to take up our cross and follow him; and may the blessing of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, be with us all, evermore.  Amen.

A short sermon for the Second Sunday of Lent

Set readings: (Genesis 17.1-7 & 15-16), Romans 4.13-end, Mark 8.31-end :-

In the collect prayer set for today we find this plea to God: “As you know our weakness, so may we know your power to save.” This prayer has always resonated with me. In it, we are told that Jesus was “tempted as we are, yet without sin.” We, on the other hand, are tempted and we fall, and that’s why we need to ask for God’s “power to save”.

Last week, I spent some time in interview with a fellow priest who, while taking a sabbatical from his parish, was working on a project examining part-time roles among the clergy. I confess that I’d offered myself, somewhat tongue in cheek, mostly as an example of how not to do it. But it was interesting to examine the whys and wherefores of what I’m doing here, as I completed a short questionnaire in preparation for the interview. And I found myself led to consider the two sorts of relationship which both have a bearing on what I do - contract and friendship.

Contract and friendship. Somewhere between the two of those things we find the relationship that gets mentioned a lot in scripture: covenant. In the Old Testament, we find God making covenant relationships with his people, via certain individuals - Noah, for example, and Moses of course, and King David; most importantly, he makes a covenant with Abraham. Abraham connects the three great faiths of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. All of them look back to Abraham as in some sense a father figure, all of them look back to the promise God made to Abraham and to Sarah his wife.

“I will make you the father of many nations,” said God to Abraham. We find this in chapter 17 of the Book of Genesis. And God goes on to say that Abraham and his descendents must themselves keep the covenant, by living according to his laws. A good Jew like Paul, who was brought up and schooled as a Pharisee, would have been taught to see Abraham as the worthy recipient of God’s blessing; and so therefore was Paul himself, so long as he carefully and scrupulously kept every bit of the Law.

But that was a misreading of the story, Paul now writes in his letter to the Romans, our first reading today. That interpretation makes the covenant a contract, so that God is bound to do as promised, just as an employer is bound to pay the promised wage, so long as the worker turns up as required and completes the allotted tasks. But, says Paul, Abraham’s faith was “counted to him as righteousness” - in other words, it’s the relationship that counts here, not the work rate. What God offers to Abraham, and therefore to all of us, isn’t a contract, it’s the hand of friendship; we’re not given a series of jobs to be completed, but a gracious welcome. So the true children of Abraham aren’t any one particular tribe or race or people; anyone who lives by faith, and trusts in God’s love, is a child of Abraham.

Now Paul had been brought up to love the Law, and to keep the Law, the Law of Moses. As a Pharisee, he knew that the way - the only way - to deserve God’s favour was to keep every bit of the Law. But now Jesus had challenged and overturned that way of thinking, and exposed it for what it was - in the end something joyless and loveless and self-seeking. In Jesus we - like Paul - can see the complete opposite of self-seeking; Jesus is the one often called “The Man for Others”, who gives all of himself for us.

And in our reading from Mark, we find Jesus trying to explain to his disciples what is going to take place in Jerusalem, including that he’s going to die there. Not surprisingly, they can’t get their heads round this at all, and Peter rounds on Jesus and says, “No, Lord! This can’t happen to you.” Mark doesn’t give us those words, but we can read them in the other Gospels. And, of course, it didn’t have to happen to Jesus. At any point along the Way of the Cross Jesus could have turned aside from the path. That’s why he speaks to Peter as he does. For Satan, the voice of temptation if you like, is speaking through Peter. “You don’t have to do it this way” was one of the temptations Jesus needed to face up to in his forty days in the wilderness.

“What a friend we have in Jesus,” as I remember singing in Sunday school. Friendship isn’t a contract relationship. Friendship is something we choose to do when we don’t have to. Because of that, there’s a built in fragility to even the deepest friendships - because no friendship can ever be required or enforced. But then again, that very fragility is fundamental to what makes a friendship real, and strong, and vital: for it speaks of an underlying love, and the fact that friends value one another just for who they are, not for what they do. And that’s perhaps why you only discover who your true friends are when things start to go wrong, or the rest of the world turns against you. 

What I find in Jesus is sure testimony that God values me - and you - just for who we are. He valued Abraham that way too. Which is why I can pray from my brokenness and my need of repair and healing, “may we know your power to save,” and know that my prayer is heard. Vicars, even part-time ones, have jobs, and therefore a contract relationship - but with the HR department of the Diocese, not with God. Ultimately I’m here not to earn a crust, but because God’s love continues to draw me, as I trust it draws you too, to kneel before a cross, and know we have a friend.

A short service for the First Sunday of Lent

May the grace, mercy and love of God be with us all. Amen.

Collect 

Almighty God, whose Son Jesus Christ fasted forty days in the wilderness, and was tempted as we are, yet without sin: give us grace to discipline ourselves in obedience to your Spirit; and, as you know our weakness, so may we know your power to save; 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.

Confession

Let us admit to God the sin which always confronts us.

Lord God, we have sinned against you; we have done evil in your sight. We are sorry and repent. Have mercy on us according to your love. Wash away our wrongdoing and cleanse us from our sin. Renew a right spirit within us, and restore us to the joy of your salvation, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

May almighty God, who sent his Son into the world to save sinners, bring us his pardon and peace, now and for ever.  Amen.

God’s Word - 1 Peter, chapter 3, verses 18 to the end :-

Christ suffered for our sins once and for all, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God; put to death in the body, he was brought to life in the spirit. In the spirit also he went and made his proclamation to the imprisoned spirits, those who had refused to obey in the past, while God waited patiently in the days when Noah was building the ark; in it a few people, eight in all, were brought to safety through the water. This water symbolized baptism, through which you are now brought to safety. Baptism is not the washing away of bodily impurities but the appeal made to God from a good conscience; and it brings salvation through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who is now at the right hand of God, having entered heaven and received the submission of angels, authorities, and powers.

    Mark, chapter 1, verses 9 to 15 :-

Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized in the Jordan by John. As he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens break open and the Spirit descend on him, like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: ‘You are my beloved Son; in you I take delight.’

 At once the Spirit drove him out into the wilderness, and there he remained for forty days tempted by Satan. He was among the wild beasts; and angels attended to his needs. 

After John had been arrested, Jesus came into Galilee proclaiming the gospel of God: ‘The time has arrived; the kingdom of God is upon you. Repent, and believe the gospel.’

Thanks be to God, for this his holy word. Amen.

Reflection 

Baptism features in both our readings set for today. And in each of them it seems to me there’s a link between baptism and testing. Peter in his letter links baptism directly with the suffering of Christ, through which our salvation is assured - and with the story of Noah’s Ark, where just a precious few were shielded from destruction.

And in our reading from Mark’s Gospel, we see that it’s immediately after his baptism in the River Jordan that Jesus enters the wilderness, where he remained for forty days of testing preparation for the ministry he would begin on his return. Mark doesn’t detail the temptations with which Satan seeks to divert Jesus from the path he has set himself to follow. In fact he moves from baptism through temptation in the wilderness and on to the beginning of his ministry of preaching and healing in literally just a few sentences. In my Bible the headings for each section take up almost as much space as the verses themselves, that’s how brief he is.

But he does use quite a violent word to describe how Jesus goes into the desert. “The Spirit drove him,” we read in the translation I’ve used. The Greek word is the same as might elsewhere be described as thrown, or hurled. Jesus was hurled into the wilderness.

Over recent years there’ve been quite a few TV programmes focusing on things like retreats in holy places, or walking holy pilgrimage trails, the camino to Santiago de Compostela, for example. The people taking part, in some cases minor celebrities, haven’t necessarily had a personal religious faith, but it’s been interesting to see how they’ve been affected by the process of pilgrimage, for example, or the example of the members of a religious community, the monks or nuns, with whom they’ve stayed. I’ve just finished reading a book entitled “Taking my God for a Walk”, the diary of a trek to Compostela made by Tony Collins, whose day job was being the publisher of Christian books. So he had an active faith, but many of those he met on the walk did not.

It’s an interesting an often amusing book; many of the people he meets while walking are in some way or another trying to find themselves, or perhaps to work through some issue that has in some way changed or damaged their lives. If I’ve had a criticism of the TV programmes about time spent on retreat or in a monastery, it’s mostly that they’ve been focused too on the individual health benefits, rather than asking the questions “Why?” and “What next?” But then, I suppose the cult of the individual is to the forefront of modern life.

After all, Lent can be approached in much the same way. Most of us could do with improving our lives and our selves in some way: a bit of a diet, a bit more exercise, a bit less chocolate or alcohol, or even coffee, which was something John Wesley struggled to give up. We’ll be all the better for it. But if what I do in Lent is all about me, then I’m missing the point of it all - or at least, I’m not really connecting with what Jesus did in the wilderness.

I’m reminded that most of the money I saved as a child by not buying sweets during Lent got spent on me at Easter. We had a little collecting envelope for the church, but only a penny or two got put into that. But Jesus in the wilderness was totally concentrating on the task ahead, and making sure he had faced up to the challenges and the pains and the temptations that would come his way. The vital component was that “What next?”

As it was too for Tony Collins on the Camino Frances. To walk the Camino was an achievement in itself of course, and there were friends to be made, sights to see, and some good food and drink to be taken too. But underlying all of that was the question “Where do you want me next, Lord?” The specific pilgrimage to Compostela had to be connected into the sense of all of life being a pilgrimage.

I’ve moved away a little bit from our readings, and from baptism, so let me return there. Baptism is the start of it all. The voice from heaven heard by Jesus as he came up from the water both affirmed him and commissioned him. And we too are affirmed and commissioned in baptism. In the water of baptism God is saying, “You are my child.” It’s up to us what we do with that; it’s up to us whether we do anything with it.

But if we are going to serve our Lord, then we must also test ourselves. No-one competes at the Olympic Games without making sure they’re trained and fit and ready. What would be the point? Lent is our training time, testing time, our time to get ready. It’s all about that question, “What next?” Keeping Lent well, taking it seriously, isn’t so much about how much we give up, or even how much we take on - but what next? And how can I serve my Lord, and my neighbour?

Statement of faith - 

We believe in God the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. We believe in God the Son, who lives in our hearts through faith, and fills us with his love. We believe in God the Holy Spirit, who strengthens us with power from on high. We believe in one God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Prayer Pointers - We pray for the Church everywhere in its keeping of the holy season of Lent. We pray for places of pilgrimage and of retreat, and for Lent as a time for learning, testing and preparing. We pray for Christians in Central Africa, and for the Anglican Church of the Province of Central Africa. We pray for our own diocese and for Richard our bishop, and for the churches and communities of the Condover deanery.

We pray for all who work to establish and maintain fair trade in our world, as Fair Trade Fortnight begins. This year the theme is about climate change, and we pray for all growers and producers whose livelihood is being threatened by major changes in climate. And we continue to pray for the work of mass vaccination here and around our world, as we battle together against Covid.  

We pray for all who are ill, and for their care and recovery; we continue to pray for all  who work in our hospitals, health centres and care homes, thinking especially about those who are physically and emotionally drained by the demands the pandemic has placed upon them. We give thanks for the ongoing process of vaccinating all who are vulnerable.

We pray for our families and friends, and for the life of our churches and communities. As Lent begins we pray it may be a time of learning and discovery, and we also pray that we may soon be able to reopen churches and shops and community buildings. Till then we pray that Covid rules are respected. Help us to look out for each other, and to keep safe ourselves.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory for ever and ever.  Amen.

Blessing - May Christ give us grace to grow in holiness, to take up our cross and follow him; and may the blessing of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, be with us all, evermore.  Amen.

A short service for Ash Wednesday

A Service for Ash Wednesday 

Let us pray for grace to keep Lent faithfully.

Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing that you have made, and forgive the sins of all those who are 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.

Readings: Joel 2.1 & 2, & 12-17

Blow the trumpet in Zion, sound the alarm on my holy mountain!  Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the LORD is coming, a day of darkness and gloom is at hand, a day of cloud and dense fog. Like blackness spread over the mountains a vast and countless host appears; their like has never been known, nor will be in all the ages to come. 

Yet even now, says the LORD, turn back to me wholeheartedly with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Rend your hearts and not your garments, and turn back to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, long-suffering and ever constant, ready always to relent when he threatens disaster.  It may be he will turn back and relent and leave a blessing behind him, blessing enough for grain-offerings and drink-offerings to be presented to the LORD your God. Blow the trumpet in Zion, appoint a solemn fast, proclaim a day of abstinence. Gather the people together, appoint a solemn assembly; summon the elders, gather the children, even babes at the breast; bid the bridegroom leave his wedding-chamber and the bride her bower. Let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, stand weeping between the porch and the altar and say, ‘Spare your people, LORD; do not expose your own people to insult, to be made a byword by other nations. Why should the peoples say, “Where is their God?” ’

 John 8.2-11

At daybreak Jesus appeared again in the temple, and all the people gathered round him. He had taken his seat and was engaged in teaching them, when the scribes and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught committing adultery. 

Making her stand in the middle they said to him, ‘Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of adultery.  In the law Moses has laid down that such women are to be stoned. What do you say about it?’  They put the question as a test, hoping to frame a charge against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground.  When they continued to press their question he sat up straight and said, ‘Let whichever of you is free from sin throw the first stone at her.’  Then once again he bent down and wrote on the ground.  When they heard what he said, one by one they went away, the eldest first; and Jesus was left alone, with the woman still standing there. Jesus again sat up and said to the woman, ‘Where are they? Has no one condemned you?’  She answered, ‘No one, sir.’ ‘Neither do I condemn you,’ Jesus said. ‘Go; do not sin again.’

Thanks be to God for this his holy word.

Reflection on the Readings

What happens when we repent, and turn to God to save us? The prophet Joel tells the people to turn back to God. That’s what God wants you to do, he tells them. So will it change his mind? No. What changes is not the mind of God, but the relationship between God and his people, between the people and God.

Even the smallest scrap of sin changes that dynamic, and takes away from us the power and the right to act as though we had God’s approval - as we see in the story of the woman taken in adultery. “Let the one without sin cast the first stone,” Jesus tells them. Not one of those there can claim the right to do it.

Lent is God’s gift to us, so we can admit our failings and work to correct them, so we can grow in discipline, and maybe take on some new commitment of service or care, and so we can place ourselves under God’s authority and judgement, but also under God’s mercy, as mediated to us by our Lord Jesus Christ.

For while sin remains real, and deadly, if we are striving to do what is right and good, even though we fail and fall short, God meets us in our striving with generosity and grace, and makes us more than mere dust and ashes.

Prayer:  

Let us call to mind our sin and the infinite mercy of God.

God the Father:

have mercy upon us.

God the Son:

have mercy upon us.

God the Holy Spirit:

have mercy upon us.

Holy, blessed & glorious Trinity:

have mercy upon us.

From all evil and mischief;

from pride, vanity and hypocrisy;

from envy, hatred, and malice;

and from all evil intent:

good Lord, deliver us.

From sloth, worldliness and love of money;

from hardness of heart, 

and contempt for your word and laws:

good Lord, deliver us.

From sins of body and mind;

and from the deceits of the world, the flesh and the devil:

good Lord, deliver us.

In all times of sorrow;

in all times of joy;

in the hour of death, and at the day of judgement:

 good Lord, deliver us.

By the mystery of your holy incarnation;

by your birth, childhood and obedience;

and by your baptism, fasting and temptation:

good Lord, deliver us.

By your ministry in word and work;

by your mighty acts of power;

and by your preaching of the kingdom:

good Lord, deliver us.

By your agony and trial; 

by your cross and passion;

and by your precious death and burial:

good Lord, deliver us.

By your mighty resurrection;

by your glorious ascension;

and by your sending of the Holy Spirit:

good Lord, deliver us.

Give us true repentance;

forgive us our sins of negligence and ignorance, 

and our deliberate sins;

and grant us the grace of your Holy Spirit

to amend our lives according to your holy word.

Holy God, holy and strong,

holy and immortal, have mercy upon us.

Silence is kept

Father eternal, giver of light and grace, we have sinned against you and against our neighbour, in what we have thought, in what we have said and done, through ignorance, through weakness, through our own deliberate fault. We have wounded your love, and marred your image in us. We are sorry and ashamed, and repent of all our sins. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, who died for us, forgive us all that is past; and lead us out from darkness to walk as children of light. Amen.

May the Lord enrich us with grace, and nourish us with his blessing; May the Lord defend us in trouble and keep us from all evil; May the Lord accept our prayers, and absolve us from our offences, for the sake of Jesus Christ, our Saviour. Amen.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

Blessing

May God the Father, who does not despise the broken spirit, give to us a contrite heart. Amen.

May Christ, who bore our sins in his body on the tree, heal us by his wounds. Amen.

And may the Holy Spirit, who leads us into all truth, speak to us words of pardon and peace. Amen. 

So may the blessing of the Holy Trinity rest upon us, and remain with us, this season of Lent, and always. Amen.

A short service and reflection for the Sunday next before Lent

May the grace, mercy and love of God be with us all. Amen.

Collect 

Almighty Father, whose Son was revealed in majesty before he suffered death upon the cross: give us grace to perceive his glory, that we may be strengthened to suffer with him and be changed into his likeness, from glory to glory; who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Confession

When Christ appears, we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. As he is pure, so all who have grasped this hope make themselves pure. Let us confess the sins that mar his image in us.

Your unfailing kindness, O Lord, is in the heavens, and your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. 

Lord, have mercy:

Lord, have mercy.

Your righteousness is like the strong mountains, and your justice as the great deep. 

Christ, have mercy:

Christ, have mercy.

For with you is the well of life: and in your light shall we see light. 

Lord, have mercy:

Lord, have mercy.

May the God of all healing and forgiveness draw us to himself, that we may behold the glory of his Son, the Word made flesh, and be cleansed from all our sins, through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

God’s Word - 2 Corinthians, chapter 4, verses 3 to 6 :-

If our gospel is veiled at all, it is veiled only for those on the way to destruction; their unbelieving minds are so blinded by the god of this passing age that the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, cannot dawn upon them and bring them light. It is not ourselves that we proclaim; we proclaim Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For the God who said, ‘Out of darkness light shall shine,’ has caused his light to shine in our hearts, the light which is knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

    Mark, chapter 9, verses 2 to 9 :-

Six days later Jesus took Peter, James, and John with him and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And in their presence he was transfigured; his clothes became dazzling white, with a whiteness no bleacher on earth could equal. 

They saw Elijah appear and Moses with him, talking with Jesus. Then Peter spoke: ‘Rabbi,’ he said, ‘it is good that we are here! Shall we make three shelters, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah?’ For he did not know what to say; they were so terrified. Then a cloud appeared, casting its shadow over them, and out of the cloud came a voice: ‘This is my beloved Son; listen to him.’

Then suddenly, when they looked around, only Jesus was with them; there was no longer anyone else to be seen. On their way down the mountain, he instructed them not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead.

Thanks be to God, for this his holy word. Amen.

Reflection 

A fairly constant theme in scripture is the hiddenness of the truth. The Old Testament prophets are voices in the wilderness, speaking God’s uncomfortable truth, but ignored by many if not most of the people, who would rather listen to the self-serving false prophets whose message is soothing and pleasing. In the New Testament we have Paul writing to Timothy about those who would rather have their ears tickled than listen to the truth. And Jesus talks to his disciples about the narrow gate by which they will enter the kingdom, compared to the wide gate and easy way of the world, whose end is destruction. And about parables - stories everybody hears, but not everybody gets the message.

Paul himself was going the wrong way, and not seeing what was really there, until on the road to Damascus God broke through very forcibly to convert him. I remember hearing the former gang leader turned international evangelist Nicky Cruz speaking about his conversion many years ago; his was a story of having to reach the lowest of low points before he could begin to hear the truth, and of God’s saving grace experienced and received at the point where he believed himself to be beyond salvation.

The world is a very testing place, always, but rarely more so than now, as we look to enter our second lockdown Lent. Lent is a time when we choose to be tested, but also perhaps when we choose to make ourselves more aware than we generally are of God’s hidden glory in our dark and fallen and often broken world. These days in which winter hangs on grimly but spring drops hints of the coming warmth and brightness and colour seem to me a good time to have Lent: I don’t imagine it works quite so well in an Australian autumn. Out walking a few days ago, I found myself in a landscape virtually without life or colour: washed out greys and browns at best. But then there was a single star of yellow, a celandine determined to break out ahead of the rest, but a sign of what is to come.

Signs of what is to come. Jesus was constantly talking about the Kingdom of God. Theologians sometimes call this a message of “now but not yet” - the Kingdom of God is happening around us, wherever people’s kindness and love, and their generous and open-hearted response to our generous Lord, wherever these things change hearts, open minds, heal hurts, and brighten our world. And that’s like my celandine, a sign of what is to come - when God’s reign is complete, and when God’s love reaches and touches and enlightens every heart.

Till then, what we have is glimpses of glory: and that takes us to the story of today’s Gospel reading from St Mark, the event we call the Transfiguration. On the mountain as Jesus prays, three of the disciples see him transfigured, his clothes and face shining with a brightness too strong for their eyes. It’s a glimpse of glory so sharp and bright it terrifies them - but it is just a glimpse. The next time they raise their eyes all is as it had been before; and Jesus tells them on the way down the hillside to say nothing for now of what they have seen.

I’ve always understood this as being not so much that Jesus was changed, as that for a moment the disciples were able to see the true glory that was always there, but which their eyes and minds couldn’t comprehend. And indeed they still didn’t truly understand what it was they’d glimpsed; they would only really begin to understand that after Easter. For what glorifies Jesus is his complete obedience to his Father’s will, and the fact that, having set his face to Jerusalem, he doesn’t turn back or aside from that road, even though he knows it must lead to the cross.

The American singer-songwriter Jim Croce had a song called “Time in Bottle”: ‘If I could save time in a bottle / the first things that I’d like to do / is to save every day till eternity passes away / just to spend them with you.’ Lovely words about being in love, appropriate for Valentine’s Day. We are of course, prisoners of time, and that, more than anything, is what limits our vision. And on that mountain-top, for a brief space, those three disciples were lifted out of time and into eternity - for even time, the dominating factor in our lives, is just part of God’s creation.

‘We are such things as dreams are made on, and our little life is rounded with a sleep.’ so wrote Shakespeare in “The Tempest”. But what if those limits to what Cardinal Newman called “this troublous life” were removed? The glimpses of glory that come my way matter a lot to me. They don’t remove all doubt, they don’t banish all fear, but they do restore and rekindle my hope, and keep me travelling on. John was one of the three disciples up there on the mountain that day. Later he wrote that “there is no room for fear in love; perfect love banishes fear,” and “We love because God loved us first.” Knowing that I am loved frees me to love; and each act of love plants a new flower, and lights a new star.

Statement of faith - 

We believe in God the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. We believe in God the Son, who lives in our hearts through faith, and fills us with his love. We believe in God the Holy Spirit, who strengthens us with power from on high. We believe in one God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Prayer Pointers - 

We pray for the Church everywhere to be a sign of God’s glory and a channel of God’s love. We pray today for Christians in Canada, and for the Anglican Church in that land. We pray for our own diocese, and for Richard our Bishop, and  for all that helps develop and establish our parish churches within the communities they are called to serve. In the week that commemorates Thomas Bray, we pray for the work of USPG and SPCK.

We pray for the dark places of our world, the places blighted by poverty and hunger, by injustice and conflict, and by greed too. We pray that those who misuse the power or the wealth they hold may realise the futility of what they do. We pray we may quickly help poorer nations to vaccinate their people against Covid-19.  

We pray for all who are ill, and for their care and recovery; we continue to pray for all  who work in our hospitals, health centres and care homes, and for their safety and protection. We pray for a considered response to the new variants of Covid that are emerging, and for all engaged in the process of vaccination.

We pray for our families and friends, and for the life of our churches and communities. On Valentine’s Day we pray for all who are in love, and for those preparing for marriage in our churches. We pray that people may observe the Covid rules, and that we may we look out for each other through this testing time, and keep safe ourselves.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory for ever and ever.  Amen.

Blessing - 

May Christ the splendour of the Father and the image of his being draw us to live in his light and share his glory; and may the blessing of God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, be with us all, evermore.  Amen.

A short service and reflection for the 2nd Sunday before Lent

You may wish to light a candle before beginning the service.

May the grace, mercy and love of God be with us all. Amen.

Collect 

Almighty God, give us reverence for all creation and respect for every person, that we may mirror your likeness in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Confession

We come to confess our sin and to seek God’s grace; in particular we pray his forgiveness for our thoughtlessness and neglect as stewards of his creation.

When we have treated the world as if it were our own and not yours, 

Lord, have mercy:

Lord, have mercy.

When we have failed to treat our neighbours with respect and compassion, 

Christ, have mercy:

Christ, have mercy.

When we have treated the talents with which you bless us with neglect,

Lord, have mercy:

Lord, have mercy.

The Lord forgives our sins and restores us as his people; he redeems our life from the grave, and crowns us with mercy and loving kindness.  Amen.

God’s Word - Colossians, chapter 1, verses 15 to 20 :-

Christ is the image of the invisible God; his is the primacy over all creation. In him everything in heaven and on earth was created, not only things visible but also the invisible orders of thrones, sovereignties, authorities, and powers: the whole universe has been created through him and for him. He exists before all things, and all things are held together in him. He is the head of the body, the church. He is its origin, the first to return from the dead, to become in all things supreme. For in him God in all his fullness chose to dwell, and through him to reconcile all things to himself, making peace through the shedding of his blood on the cross—all things, whether on earth or in heaven.

    John, chapter 1,  verses 1 to 14 :-

In the beginning the Word already was. The Word was in God’s presence, and what God was, the Word was. He was with God at the beginning, and through him all things came to be; without him no created thing came into being. In him was life, and that life was the light of mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has never mastered it.

There appeared a man named John. He was sent from God, and came as a witness to testify to the light, so that through him all might become believers. He was not himself the light; he came to bear witness to the light. The true light which gives light to everyone was even then coming into the world.

He was in the world; but the world, though it owed its being to him, did not recognize him. He came to his own, and his own people would not accept him. But to all who did accept him, to those who put their trust in him, he gave the right to become children of God, born not of human stock, by the physical desire of a human father, but of God. So the Word became flesh; he made his home among us, and we saw his glory, such glory as befits the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth.

Thanks be to God, for this his holy word. Amen.

Reflection 

Our lectionary readings give a theme to each of the last two Sundays before Lent (of which this is the first). Next Sunday happens this year to be Valentine’s Day, but it also takes as its theme the transfiguration of Jesus on the mountain top. But first, on this the Second Sunday before Lent we are asked to think about creation, and our responsibility under God for all that he has set into our care.

And it feels right that we’re doing this just as the world around us starts to come slowly back to life after its winter shut-down. I’ve been seeing snowdrops and aconites, primroses and the first few celandines, and even a few early daffodils, coming into flower - and I’ve been hearing the birds as they start to try out their spring songs. In fact the traditional association of Valentine’s Day with lovers is linked to the fact that the middle of February is when many of our native birds begin to pair up.

So there’s a link with the natural world there too. But just at the moment I suppose we see creation running a bit out of kilter, for all the early signs of spring around us. We may think of ourselves as masters of the world, but the machines, technology and sophistication by which we bend the natural world to suit our needs and pleasures, is being thrown off key and derailed by the Covid virus. We have felt frustrated and helpless for a long time, and, as I heard someone comment last week, “There is light at the end of the tunnel, but it’s still a very long tunnel.” It looks as though there’ll be a fair way to go yet before we feel safe and secure - and “normal” again.

The Old Testament prophets would certainly have linked any plague or disease with God’s displeasure at our thoughtlessness and our sin. Hosea basically and rather bluntly told the people of Israel that, given the way the poor were being exploited, and how the merchants were cheating on the scales, how power was misused and greed praised rather than called out for what it is, how are they surprised to see the world around them falling apart.

And though we might not see things in quite the same way, there is a connection between how we behave and how the world is. Scientific analysis suggests that, whether the Covid virus escaped from a medical research facility as some think, or was transferred from animal to human hosts via the “wet markets” selling wild creatures for people to eat, the way we use or misuse the natural world has been a major factor.

The recent David Attenborough series assures us that we live on an “ideal planet” that circles the sun in what scientists call the goldilocks zone (in other words, like the porridge it’s just right). And our planet seems to have a remarkable ability to correct its imbalances. But now the sheer pace of human activity is changing things too fast for our planet to keep up. But what can we do about that? We’re not the ones bulldozing or burning rain forests, or bulk-tipping chemical waste into rivers or seas, or for that matter buying and eating bats or pangolins or other bushmeat in the wet markets. We’ve not been elected to high office, nor do we have the ability to influence opinion because the media hangs on our every word. So what can we do?

Well, I surely need to do something. Not for my own sake, but for my children and my grandchildren and onwards beyond; and because each individual life form is precious and nothing should be wasted or abused; and I surely need to do something also because this isn’t my world but God’s, and how can I honour God if what he has made is being exploited, abused or despoiled, and I’m doing nothing about that?

I’m reminded of the words of St David to his monks at the end of his life. “Keep on doing the small things,” he told them. I’m reminded too of Desmond Tutu saying that the little things we can do, when you add them all together, begin to make a big difference. We’re not powerless when we act together. And acting together begins with being concerned, and being informed, and having faith.  It’s for that reason that I want to use as our Lent course this year (via Zoom) a course offered by USPG entitled “For such a time as this” - looking at ecological justice. We need to go behind the news bulletins, and hear the voices of people on the ground. And we need to link that in with what the Bible has to say, those Old Testament prophets included.

And of course that has to lead to action, and I know we’re already doing a lot of these things. Things like reducing our intake, and reducing our waste; things like recycling everything we can, and buying local where we can; things like growing more ourselves of what we eat, using renewable energy and not using more of it than we need to; and even things like feeding the birds and allowing a wild corner in our gardens, and maybe making a pond. 

And, I think, disciplining ourselves to be aware, to be looking beyond our own immediate situation, and not closing our eyes and ears to the bad news and the hard things. And where we can’t change things ourselves, we do need to be campaigning and helping to support those who can. How good am I at this? Not as good as I should be! I know I need to get better, and to be doing more than I do. But I know too that as a believer in God and a believer in life, I need to play my part in helping the repair process to take place in our world, and that my own footprint on this planet needs to be as light as I can make it.

Statement of faith - 

We believe in God the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. We believe in God the Son, who lives in our hearts through faith, and fills us with his love. We believe in God the Holy Spirit, who strengthens us with power from on high. We believe in one God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Prayer Pointers - We pray for Christians to take a leading role on green issues, and the care of both natural and human communities, and so to honour God as the creator of all that is. We pray today for Christians in Burundi, and for the Anglican Church in that land. We pray for our own diocese, and for Richard our Bishop, and  for the churches and communities of the Clun Forest deanery.

We pray for all in our world whose communities and livelihoods are put at risk by climate change or the destruction of natural resources. We also pray for the safe use of internet technology, and for victims of trolling and cyber bullying. We pray for co-operation across our world on environmental issues and the continuing battle against the impact of Covid-19.  

We pray for all who are ill, and for their care and recovery; we continue to pray for all  who work in our hospitals, health centres and care homes, and for their safety and protection. We pray that we may respond well to the impact of new variants of Covid, and for all who are involved in the process of vaccination.

We pray for our families and friends, and for the life of our churches and communities. We pray for Greg and Fran Smith, as Greg is licensed this week to Pontesbury and Stiperstones, and also for this week’s meeting of our Deanery Synod. We continue to pray that people may observe the Covid restrictions, to ensure their own safety and that of others, and that we may we look out for each other through this testing time, and keep safe ourselves.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory for ever and ever.  Amen.

Blessing - 

May God the Father be our strength, may Christ Jesus be our shield and protector, and may the Holy Spirit be for us healing and peace; may the Holy Trinity pour upon us the light of his blessing.  Amen.

A short service and reflection for Candlemas

 

You may wish to light a candle before you begin.

May the grace, mercy and love of God be with us all. Amen.

Collect 

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.

Confession

Christ the Light of the world has come to dispel the darkness of our hearts. In his light let us examine ourselves and confess our sins.

When we have failed to share the light of life in our dark and needy world, Lord, have mercy:

Lord, have mercy.

When we have failed to reach out to those who are lost, afraid and hungry, 

Christ, have mercy:

Christ, have mercy.

When we close our hearts to the glory of your saving love, offered to the world,

Lord, have mercy:

Lord, have mercy.

The Lord is our strength and our comfort; he meets us with compassion, and will not forsake us or forget us. The Lord is our saviour and redeemer: in Christ we are forgiven.  Amen.

God’s Word - Malachi, chapter 3, verses 1 to 5 :-

I am about to send my messenger to clear a path before me. Suddenly the Lord whom you seek will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight is here, here already, says the LORD of Hosts. Who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand firm when he appears? He is like a refiner’s fire, like a fuller’s soap; he will take his seat, testing and purifying; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver, and so they will be fit to bring offerings to the LORD. Thus the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the LORD as they were in former days, in years long past. I shall appear before you in court, quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers, and perjurers, against those who cheat the hired labourer of his wages, who wrong the widow and the fatherless, who thrust the alien aside and do not fear me, says the LORD of Hosts.

    Luke, chapter 2,  verses 22 to 40 :-

After the purification had been completed in accordance with the law of Moses, the parents of Jesus brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as prescribed in the law of the Lord: ‘Every firstborn male shall be deemed to belong to the Lord’), and also to make the offering as stated in the law: ‘a pair of turtle-doves or two young pigeons’.

There was at that time in Jerusalem a man called Simeon. This man was upright and devout, one who watched and waited for the restoration of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Guided by the Spirit he came into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the law required, he took him in his arms, praised God, and said:  ‘Now, Lord, you are releasing your servant in peace, according to your promise. For I have seen with my own eyes the deliverance you have made ready in full view of all nations: a light that will bring revelation to the Gentiles and glory to your people Israel.’

The child’s father and mother were full of wonder at what was being said about him. Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, ‘This child is destined to be a sign that will be rejected; and you too will be pierced to the heart. Many in Israel will stand or fall because of him; and so the secret thoughts of many will be laid bare.’

There was also a prophetess, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was a very old woman, who had lived seven years with her husband after she was first married, and then alone as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple, but worshipped night and day with fasting and prayer. Coming up at that very moment, she gave thanks to God; and she talked about the child to all who were looking for the liberation of Jerusalem. 

When they had done everything prescribed in the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. The child grew big and strong and full of wisdom; and God’s favour was upon him.

Thanks be to God, for this his holy word. Amen.

Reflection 

So the great season of Christmas and Epiphany comes to its close, with the child brought into the temple, and recognised there by Simeon and Anna, both of whom had waited long to see with their own eyes the salvation God had promised.

I want to make four simple points about this story. Firstly, these events took place as Mary and Joseph did what the law required. There is a duty of religious observance, a discipline of service and praise, and it’s as we make this a part of ourselves that we are made aware of God’s light and grace and love. And in particular, what Mary and Joseph were doing that day was to say that their child was not only their child, but was also God’s child - every first born was “deemed to belong to the Lord.”

Secondly, with the birth of this child everything changes. The birth of any child changes things - the dynamics of relationships within and beyond a family, the way we see things, plan things, look forward. A first child in particular changes things hugely: lovers become also parents, and the stretch of the future they look towards now goes beyond the span of their own lives and into the span of the life they have made. There will be joys, and there will also be problems and pains. But as Simeon tells them, this child will change not only their lives, but the world, not only the future they look towards, but the whole course of history. And Mary especially will bear some of the pain of that.

The third thing I want to say is about “The Quiet in the Land”. Simeon and Anna are two examples of those people who were simply waiting quietly and prayerfully for what God would do. Despite their age, and despite the pains and sorrows that had come their way, they had never ceased to hope, and they had never ceased to believe. There are those who want to make things happen, those who lack patience and want to force the issue; and there are those within whom the pains and disappointments of life have stirred up bitterness and resentment, so that they’ve switched off, opted out, and ceased to hope. Simeon and Anna were neither of those types of people: they were the sort of people I’ve met many a time and valued hugely in my ministry - people of quiet and trusting faith and regular prayer. People like that provide the bedrock on which the Church is built.

And finally, we see how the revolution God starts among us begins in an ordinary and humble setting. You might not think of the temple as “ordinary and humble”, but the parents of Jesus were doing what all believing parents would do. And they did so making, in place of the lamb for burnt offering laid down in the law, the “poor person’s offering” of a couple of pigeons. We will find the glory of God’s love not so much in the palaces of this world but wherever people of faith contend with the uncertainties and insecurities of ordinary life; and the Holy Child is identified right from the start with those who know about struggle and stress.

And in this very Jewish setting, of the law being fulfilled, and the offerings and prayers made as they should be within the temple, the child Mary and Joseph brought there is hailed as one born not just for one people but for all: he is the glory of Israel, but he will also be a light to enlighten every nation. 

Statement of faith - 

We believe in God the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named. We believe in God the Son, who lives in our hearts through faith, and fills us with his love. We believe in God the Holy Spirit, who strengthens us with power from on high. We believe in one God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Prayers - We pray we may be ready to recognise in Christ the one who is light to all the world, and in his name to be lights ourselves to lift the darkness of human hatred, mistrust and need. We pray today for Christians in Brazil, and for the work and witness of the Anglican Episcopal Church of Brazil. We pray for our own diocese, and for Richard our Bishop, and today give special thanks for the ministry of our Dean, Michael Tavinor, whose last Sunday this is.

We are asked this week especially to pray for children living with mental health issues, and for all that is done for the support, protection and care. We pray for those who continue to battle against the Covid virus in our world, and for those helping in the work of vaccination.  

We pray for all who are ill, and for their care and recovery, and we continue to pray for health workers and for our hospitals, health centres and care homes, that they may not be overwhelmed by the present crisis. We pray for all who are waiting for tests, treatments and therapies for a range of conditions, where Covid has had to take precedence, and that waiting lists may not grow too long.

We pray for our families and friends, and for the life of our churches and communities. On the weekend of the Great Garden Birdwatch we pray for care of our wild spaces and wild creatures. We pray for people to keep to the rules and to ensure their own safety and that of others.  And may we look out for each other through this testing time, and keep safe ourselves.

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory for ever and ever.  Amen.

Blessing - 

May Christ the Sun of Righteousness shine upon us, and scatter the darkness from before our path; and may the blessing of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore.  Amen.