DAILY REFLECTION

Friday 24th May

As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake—for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow me and I will make you fish for people.’ And immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets. Immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed him. (Mark 1.16-20)

‘The context of the call of the first disciples is significant. Andrew, Simon Peter, James and John encountered Jesus and his call to follow in the midst of their ordinary, everyday lives. Their work is affirmed and reinterpreted by Jesus. The commentator Donald English notes that it is as Jesus “indicates the implications of the ordinary elements of life by putting them into the context of God’s purposes for their lives that they [the disciples] begin to see how much more is involved”. God can and does call people to follow and serve in places set aside for worship and at great festivals, but the call can come anywhere. For most people the primary context in which their discipleship is lived out is not the temple or the church building but the home, the workplace and the community. Too often we can neglect these contexts for the living out of discipleship and equate discipleship with dutiful church membership and service.’

‘We saw earlier how the initiative is with Jesus when it comes to Christian discipleship. He calls, we follow and this is now deeply countercultural in a highly self-centred, consumerist world. In a further challenge to individualism it is important to note that the first disciples were called together and into community. A community that would become known as church.’

‘It’s very likely that as fellow fisherman, Andrew, Simon Peter, James and John would have known each other. Much less likely that the first four disciples would have known the other eight that Jesus called to be community with them. A reminder to us that when we respond to the call of Jesus to follow we can’t be too choosy about who we journey with.’

(Extracts from Andrew Roberts- Holy Habits Ch 2 The Adventure Begins)

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Thursday 23rd May

As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake—for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow me and I will make you fish for people.’ And immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets. Immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed him. (Mark 1.16-20)

‘The context of the call of the first disciples is significant. Andrew, Simon Peter, James and John encountered Jesus and his call to follow in the midst of their ordinary, everyday lives. Their work is affirmed and reinterpreted by Jesus. The commentator Donald English notes that it is as Jesus “indicates the implications of the ordinary elements of life by putting them into the context of God’s purposes for their lives that they [the disciples] begin to see how much more is involved”. God can and does call people to follow and serve in places set aside for worship and at great festivals, but the call can come anywhere. For most people the primary context in which their discipleship is lived out is not the temple or the church building but the home, the workplace and the community. Too often we can neglect these contexts for the living out of discipleship and equate discipleship with dutiful church membership and service.’

‘We saw earlier how the initiative is with Jesus when it comes to Christian discipleship. He calls, we follow and this is now deeply countercultural in a highly self-centred, consumerist world. In a further challenge to individualism it is important to note that the first disciples were called together and into community. A community that would become known as church.’

‘It’s very likely that as fellow fisherman, Andrew, Simon Peter, James and John would have known each other. Much less likely that the first four disciples would have known the other eight that Jesus called to be community with them. A reminder to us that when we respond to the call of Jesus to follow we can’t be too choosy about who we journey with.’

(Extracts from Andrew Roberts- Holy Habits Ch 2 The Adventure Begins)
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Wednesday 22nd May

Then Jesus said to Simon, ‘Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.’ When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him. (Luke 5:10b-11 NRSVA)

‘We don’t know where we are going but we know who we are going with’ (Bono)

‘The adventure of Christian discipleship begins with the call of Jesus to follow. As disciples we may be more or less clear or confused as to who Jesus is and what following him means. We may or may not have consciously encountered Jesus previously or thought of him before. The call may come loudly or quietly, instantaneously or gradually, but “the initiative is with Jesus”. It is he who invites us to share his life, his mission and his sufferings. When we respond to that invitation we don’t know where the journey will take us.’

‘The Greek New Testament word translated into English as “disciple” is mathetes. It is often said to mean either a follower or a learner. The literal meaning is “one who learns as they follow”. So the primary activity of discipleship is following with the learning happening as the adventure of following unfolds, helping to shape and guide the unfolding journey.’

‘The calling is personal and relational. Jesus calls us to follow him. Not a philosophy or a set of ideas, far less a long list of rules or regulations. The call to Christian discipleship is a call to follow the inspiring, challenging, occasionally enigmatic but above all and always, loving one, called Jesus Christ, the Son of God.’

(from Andrew Roberts- Holy Habits Ch 1 The Adventure of Discipleship)
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Tuesday 21st May

42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. 44 All who believed were together and had all things in common; 45 they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved. (Acts 2:42-47)

Next week we will start our summer study course using the book ‘Holy Habits’ by Andrew Roberts (2016 Malcolm Down Publishing Ltd).

‘Holy Habits is an adventure in Christian discipleship based upon Luke’s picture of the early church in Acts 2:42-47. It explores and encourages the practice of ten disciplines, or holy habits, that Luke presents in the passage: biblical teaching, fellowship, breaking bread, prayer, sharing resources, serving, eating together, gladness and generosity, worship and making more disciples. It is way of life for all – a key word Luke uses several times in the text – from young children to those in residential care. It is also a way of life to be lived when followers of Jesus are both gathered as church and dispersed in day-to-day life at home, at work and in engagement with the issues of the world. The name reminds us that these are godly practices that form us not just as followers of Jesus but as wholesome human beings, both individually and in community.’ https://www.holyhabits.org.uk/about
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Monday 20th May

Today the Church remembers Alcuin who was born of noble parentage about 735, probably in or near York. He was educated at York Cathedral School by Aelbert, a former pupil of Bede. Alcuin, a highly able pupil, soon attracted the special attention of Aelbert, who took his pupil on several visits to the Continent. When, in 767, Aelbert became Archbishop of York, Alcuin, who had been ordained deacon, succeeded him as master of the school, work he continued for the next 15 years, attracting numerous students and enriching the already valuable library. In common with many effective teachers, it was Alcuin’s gift to be able to inspire those he taught with his own enthusiasm for learning. Not surprisingly, the school attracted talented students from far and wide.

Returning from a visit to Rome in 781, he met Charlemagne, then King of the Franks, who persuaded Alcuin to relocate to his court in Aachen as master of the palace school, in effect his minister of education. Alcuin was responsible for the process of establishing a primary school in every town and village and, because the clergy would be the teachers, in ensuring higher standards of literacy and education amongst both parish priests and ordinands. He established scriptoria for the copying and preservation of ancient manuscripts, thus preserving the writings of many classical authors that might otherwise have been lost. He is also credited with inventing cursive script (‘joined-up writing’) as an aid to speedier copying.

To Alcuin belongs much of the credit for the current established structure of the liturgical year with its Sundays after Epiphany, six weeks of Lent, Eastertide and then Sundays after Trinity (strictly after Pentecost as Trinity Sunday had not been established in Alcuin’s day). Alcuin also created a book of supplementary material drawn from the existing traditions of the French church and including some of the best loved collects still in use in the Book of Common Prayer. He wrote nine biblical commentaries and was responsible for a revision of the Latin Bible, the Vulgate. He was an advocate of the doctrine of the joint procession of the Holy Spirit from the Father and the Son, though the widespread acceptance of this doctrine by the Western Church only hastened the split with the East. In 796, when Alcuin was over 60 and anxious to retire from public life Charlemagne appointed him Abbot of St Martin’s at Tours (at some point in his busy life he had probably entered the Benedictine order). Here, in his declining years, he built up a model monastic school as he had previously done at York and Aachen. He died in May 804. (material taken from Saints on Earth: a biographical companion to Common Worship and from Christopher Loveless ‘A Strange Eventful History: The Story of the Saints of the Church of England’)

God of wisdom, eternal light,

who shone in the heart of your servant Alcuin,

revealing to him your power and pity:

scatter the darkness of our ignorance

that, with all our heart and mind and strength,

we may seek your face

and be brought with all your saints

to your holy presence;

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

(Church of England Collect for 20th May)

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________