Peter asks Jesus:“Lord, to whom can we go?” John ch 6. v 68When considering choices we use factors that are: Rational, Emotional, and Self-serving.For instance, the Church of England, having closed itself down in the Country’s hour of spiritual need, currently faces a choice around Covid policy: to unlock Churches, or not unlock. To consider the choices we will look Rationally at the Covid facts. Our Emotions will guide how we feel about restrictions being eased. And we will think about what is best for us. As Christians, we will wish also to choose the option that is best for others in meeting their spiritual need.Choices, choices! In 1745, at the time when Bonnie Prince Charlie led an uprising against the King, the Earl of Derby was choosing about which side to put his troops and influence. He commented: “What to do for the best I do not know. I only know, that if I knew what it was, I would do it”. I am sure there is an echo of this sentiment as we weigh up the choice whether or not to open our Churches.This morning’s readings concentrate on the choice people make on whether or not to continue in a life of Faith:Joshua calls on the nation to choose which God to follow in a culture where there were so many gods. Rationally he points to the facts: Jehovah has led them out of slavery and into the promised land. Emotionally, he feels faith in God is the right foundation for national life. He suggests that it is in the people’s best interest to stick with the God they know. Joshua’s choice is clear: “I will serve the Lord”.Rationally, Emotionally, and in Self-interest the Psalmist shares with us God’s influence for good in his life.The writer to the early Church at Ephesus urges readers to stick with their choice: “Stand firm” he writes. Stay with the facts of resurrection; hold on to the love shown by God in Jesus; it is in your best interest to nurture your faith.St John chapter 6 draws attention to the choice presented by Jesus. The facts include: feeding a group of 5,000 people with bread and fish; the crowd asking for Jesus to be their King; Temple leaders asking questions. He walked on water, and brought the disciples peace in a storm. Emotionally, Jesus’ teaching around the Bread of Life caused upset. Temple leaders felt threatened. The Crowd felt Jesus may not be the best candidate as their King. Many disciples felt disaffected; they had not expected that there would be a cost to following Jesus. People were making choices about Jesus; their self-interest was kicking in. People wanted a King to lead them to freedom from occupation by the Romans; would Jesus do this? Traditional Jewish faith expressions were at risk; was Jesus’ new way worth the upset? Eating and drinking of his very person, would mean total commitment to Jesus; were they ready for this?People were coming to a decision about Jesus: The crowd chose to stop shouting Hosanna; instead, they shouted Crucify! The religious leaders chose to look for ways to have Jesus killed. Many disciples chose to turn back and no longer go about with Jesus.Decisions have consequences: Jesus was facing isolation. He asks Peter, “Do you also want to go away?” That question leaps from the page to challenge us today. Do you also want to go away because of the easing of lockdown?We made our choice about Jesus some time ago. It is also a choice that we face every day as world events challenge our faith, such as: disappointments in family relationships; the loss of long-time friends with whom we have long shared large parts of our life; our fear of disease and of death.Rationally we look at the facts and can see the hand of God in the development of our life. Emotionally we feel the need to link in to a God who promises to support us through the changes and chances of this mortal life. It is in our best interest to continue the attempt to live the resurrection life in an imperfect world.The readings suggest we must stick with our choice about Jesus:As Joshua stated: “As for me, I will serve the Lord. The Psalmist shares his praise for the God who saved him.The letter to Ephesians encourages us to “Stand firm.”We may ask with St Peter: to whom can we go, if not to Jesus?The opportunities arising from deciding to choose a life of faith in a Risen Christ, include the opportunity to unlock our Churches. Many people whose lives are on the edge of faith are asking: where else can we go? In the name of God, choices need to be considered; decisions have to be made.The Revd Malcolm France
Lord, direct our thoughts, and teach us to pray. Lift up our hearts to worship you in spirit and in truth, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.‘How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts! My soul longs, indeed it faints for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God.’ (Psalm 84: 1-2)Hymn: Jesus calls us, o’er the tumult...Ephesians 6:10-20The gospel calls us to turn away from sin and be faithful to Christ. As we offer ourselves to him in penitence and faith, we renew our confidence and trust in his mercy. Let us confess our sins: Most merciful God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we confess that we have sinned in thought, word and deed. We have not loved you with our whole heart. We have not loved our neighbours as ourselves. In your mercy forgive what we have been, help us to amend what we are, and direct what we shall be; that we may do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with you, our God. Amen.May the God of love bring us back to himself, forgive us our sins, and assure us of his eternal love in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.Prayer for the day: God of constant mercy, who sent your Son to save us: remind us of your goodness, increase your grace within us, that our thankfulness may grow, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.John 6: 56-69‘The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.’Let us pray:We pray for St Peter’s Church and the Church throughout the world: for the strength and courage to share God’s love;We pray for the world: for reconciliation where there is conflict, for justice and peace;We pray for our communities, families and friends: for relationships to flourish;We pray for all who are sick or suffering: for healing in mind, body and spirit;We pray for people who have been bereaved: for comfort in their grief.Let us pray the prayer that Jesus taught us: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.Hymn: How shall I sing that majesty...May the love of the Lord Jesus draw us to himself, the power of the Lord Jesus strengthen us in his service, the joy of the Lord Jesus fill our hearts, and may the blessing of God Almighty who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit rest upon us and and be with us always. Amen.Let us go in peace to love and serve the Lord, in the name of Christ. Amen.
Mary is probably the second most familiar and instantly recognizable person from the Christian story. Mary has been depicted in frescoes, mosaics, paintings and sculpture for nearly 2,000 years. Christian churches often have an image of Mary somewhere or even a side chapel dedicated to her. Many Christmas cards feature Mary and the newborn Jesus, sometimes surrounded by the animals imagined to be in the stable or Mary and Joseph making their way to Bethlehem, Mary – heavily pregnant, riding on the back of a donkey. Michelangelo sculpted in marble his famous Pieta – Mary cradling her son in death. Endless hymns, carols and other sacred pieces of music sing about Mary, the exemplary mother, the archetype of all that good Christian women should aspire to.In the stained-glass window at the east end of St Peter’s, there is a typical image of Mary at the foot of the cross. Mary is usually portrayed either as a pure, holy, placid young mother, with Jesus as a baby or toddler or as a woman, wracked with sorrow, and grieving over the death of her son. We don’t see images of Mary with Jesus as a mischievous boy or as a stroppy teenager! We never see Mary sitting around a lively dinner table with Joseph, Jesus and the children she is believed to have gone on to have, laughing, teasing, scolding, chatting, cuddling.Yet Mary was a real person, growing up as a young girl in 1st century Palestine, born perhaps 14 or 15 years before her life-changing encounter with the Archangel Gabriel. That encounter certainly changed her life – but it also changed the history of the world. Mary’s ‘Yes’ to Gabriel opened the door to the very beginnings of Christian history. Mary’s response to Gabriel, known as the Magnificat, echoes Hannah’s prayer many hundreds of years earlier, when the Lord blessed her with a son, Samuel, who grew up to be a prophet and judge. Many verses in Isaiah foretold a savior who was to come. Luke was the only Gospel writer who never met Jesus and scholars believe that Mary was the source of his vivid, human stories.What would have happened if Mary had said No? Did God have a Plan B? We will never know. What we do know is that a devout, young Jewish girl named Mary (Miriam, in Hebrew, as she would have been known), trusted God enough to accept the role she was asked to play. Mary’s ‘Yes’ encourages us to say ‘Yes’ to God, to open ourselves to the birth of the Christ-child in our hearts and lives. Mary knew she was going to have a baby, but we may not know clearly what God is asking of us. We don’t have to know: we just have to say ‘Yes’, and keep on saying ‘Yes’, day after day after day, until all our thoughts and desires and actions become one with all of those across the world who do the will of God, opening ourselves again and again to the only One who can lead us faithfully, heal our wounds, fill us with love and compassion, and give us an inner peace and joy that can sustain us throughout our lives. There is so much that Mary’s life can teach us, and we would do well to remember her obedience, her willingness to accept what God was doing in her life, her love for her beloved Son, even though it took her to the foot of the cross. We know it didn’t end there: she remained a disciple, spreading the message that God came to live among us, as one of us, and who, by the power of the Spirit, is with us still. Christina Rees
Lord, direct our thoughts, and teach us to pray. Lift up our hearts to worship you in spirit and in truth, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.‘Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord, you his servants; praise the name of the Lord. Let the name of the Lord be praised, both now and forevermore. From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised.’ (Psalm 113:1-3)Hymn: Tell out my soul, the greatness of the Lord...Isaiah 61:10-endWe have done what was wrong in the Lord’s sight and chosen what displeased him. Yet as a mother comforts her child, so shall the Lord himself comfort us. So let us come to him who knows our every deed and thought, and confess our disobedience to him: Most merciful God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we confess that we have sinned in thought, word and deed. We have not loved you with our whole heart. We have not loved our neighbours as ourselves. In your mercy forgive what we have been, help us to amend what we are, and direct what we shall be; that we may do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with you, our God. Amen.May the God of love bring us back to himself, forgive us our sins, and assure us of his eternal love in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.Prayer for the day: Almighty God, who looked upon the lowliness of the Blessed Virgin Mary and chose her to be the mother of your only Son: grant that we who are redeemed by his blood may share with her in the glory of your eternal kingdom; 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.Alleluia, alleluia. My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour. Luke 1:46-55Please see the Message from the Minister.Let us pray:We pray for St Peter’s Church and the Church throughout the world: for the strength and courage to share God’s love;We pray for the world: for reconciliation where there is conflict, for justice and peace;We pray for our communities, families and friends: for relationships to flourish;We pray for all who are sick or suffering: for healing in mind, body and spirit;We pray for people who have been bereaved: for comfort in their grief.Let us pray the prayer that Jesus taught us: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.Hymn: Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart...May the love of the Lord Jesus draw us to himself, the power of the Lord Jesus strengthen us in his service, the joy of the Lord Jesus fill our hearts, and may the blessing of God Almighty who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit rest upon us and and be with us always. Amen.Let us go in peace to love and serve the Lord, in the name of Christ. Amen.
