It’s a ridiculous idea to put your lambs in the middle of a load of wolves. They are not going to stand a chance and it’s an image which hardly makes sense in any culture.

This is the vision Jesus sets out in our gospel reading today where the objective is to usher in the new ways of the kingdom into the madness and badness of the world. The forecast from the very start is for a rocky road so why does Jesus say this to his friends? Jesus knows himself to be totally vulnerable (even to death on a cross) yet protected by his Father, therefore Jesus suggests the same vulnerability to us!

Friends, it appears that this journey of faith was always going to be a rough ride. Good news is that God‘s faithfulness rests with us and that the powers of darkness will flee. Whatever rough ride you may be having or have had through life, the reassurance for Christians is that God is with us at all times and in all situations.

Fr Simon