Scripture: ‘but now in Christ Jesus, you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ; in His flesh he has made both groups into one and has broken down the dividing wall, the hostility between us. (Ephesians 2.13-14)Reflection:It has been said that religion ‘divides’ people, and perhaps man’s ‘spin’ on religion IS divisive - but the message of truth that Jesus brought was one of inclusiveness and equality for all. On this Mothering Sunday when we remember the person who brought us into the world, perhaps we should also remember that this shared experience, the birth of a human baby into the world God created, is one that unites ALL of us in our humanity. We share our ‘beginning’ with each other as human beings and our race, gender or religion cannot change that. He has broken down the dividing wall, the hostility between us - it is up to us to follow His example. Vicki Young
Scripture:‘Jesus said to her, ‘Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.’’ (John 4.13-14)Reflection:It’s impossible to exaggerate how important water is for us: it’s vital. The woman Jesus was speaking with had the toil of walking to a well to draw it up. It was not the only or greatest hardship in her life – she was on her sixth ‘husband’. What Jesus said he could give her sounds weird, but he had already, just by speaking with her, broken a social taboo between religions and sexes and shown her a human (or divine) warmth, respect and acceptance that had been missing. She was overjoyed.Everyone needs water, and everyone needs that sort of acceptance. David Harmsworth
Scripture: ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. ‘Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Gospel of John 3:16-17Reflection:That first verse is so well-known, it is easy to overlook how revolutionary it is. God, the creator of the whole universe, so loved this little world which he had created, that he gave his only son to save it. That’s some generosity! That’s one awesome love!And the next verse makes it clear that Jesus came, not to condemn the world, but to rescue it, to restore it and to make it whole. This is what being saved looks like. Not just I, or we, rescued and safe on our little speck of dry land, while all the others drown. But all of us, living in harmony in a world restored and transformed to be all that it can be, all that God intended it to be from the very beginning.So much went wrong on the way. Greed and evil doing took hold, violence and hatred proliferated. But God did never give up on his world, or on the people that he had created. He sent Jesus, to show us a better way to live and relate, a saving path for the world. That path is still there, ready for you and I to step out on. Jesus led the way by showing us what selfless love looks like, as he died on the cross on Good Friday. But he also showed us where the path leads, as he was brought back to eternal life on Easter Sunday! Revd Ylva Blid-Mackenzie
