Daily Scripture:‘Brothers, what should we do?’ Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him.’ (Acts 2:37b-39)Daily Reflection:Yesterday the Church marked the Ascension – the return of Jesus to his Father. Today marks a period of waiting – prayerful waiting – for the day of Pentecost, marking the gift of the Holy Spirit; the Holy Spirit that anyone can receive – if we repent. Repenting is more than you saying sorry. It is saying “sorry”, but it is also letting God forgive you; and then living like forgiven people; it is turning away from a sinful way of living. Maybe the same sort of question is in your mind as the disciples were asked: “What should I do?” The answer is simple: pray that as a prayer to God….. Lord, what should I do? Try it, every day between now and Pentecost in nine days’ time; and wait for the Holy Spirit to answer. Revd David
Daily ScriptureAbove all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. (1 Peter 4:8-10)Daily Reflection‘Love each other deeply’. What a charge! This is not just a bit of love, a token friendship, but the real stuff, from the bottom of our hearts. It is not romantic fellow-feeling, but the sort of love that will go above and beyond. The love that Peter commends to us is so profound, so all-encompassing, it blots out our weaknesses and covers up our mistakes. Its chief hallmark seems to be hospitality, the extending of invitation and service to all, and the sharing of gifts, whether spiritual or material. Knowing ourselves to be utterly dependent on God, we are only too happy to share what is not ours to hold on to anyway, with others, and in that sharing, we are ourselves enriched beyond measure. Deep love! Revd Ylva
Daily ScriptureWhen they had finished breakfast Jesus said to Simon Peter ‘Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?’ He said to him ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my lambs.’ A second time he said to him ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ He said to him ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him ‘Tend my sheep.’ He said to him the third time ‘Simon son of John, do you love me?’ Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time ‘Do you love me?’ And he said to him, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep.’ (John 21.15-17)Daily ReflectionThe night that Jesus was arrested a terrified Peter had three times vehemently denied that he even knew him. Sitting together now at the lakeside, Jesus does not reproach Peter, but gives him the chance to reaffirm his love, mercifully wiping out the memory of his threefold denial by a threefold declaration of love. We have all, at one time or another, said or done things which we deeply regret. We have let people down, but perhaps even worse is the knowledge that we have let ourselves down. Like Peter, we cannot undo what is done; but God, whose whole nature is love, does not dwell on our past failures, but restores us, as he did Peter, to a life of renewed love and service. Revd Rosemary
