St James Barton and Tredworth

Fun Fact of the week: Sorry to break it to you, but a seahorse is not actually a horse! However, ‘Seabiscuit’ is a horse and not a biscuit. Meanwhile, a ‘sea biscuit’ (two words) is a marine invertebrate belonging to the phylum Echinodermata.

I’m currently reading:

“Foster” by Claire Keegan

“Atonement” by Ian McEwan

I have really got into my reading this week. ‘Foster’ was a novella about a young girl in early 1980’s Ireland who spends the summer with her Aunt and Uncle. It is an exquisitely written tale of family relationships, loss, and healing. Highly recommended. (Or, the film based on the book, “The Quiet Girl”). ‘Atonement’ is now over 20 years old and a copy has sat on my shelf for most of that time. This week was the time to begin reading it. I usually need to get about 50 pages into a book before I can be sure that I will see it through. I’m now on page 220 so well into the plot and its themes. The other evening, I found myself getting so angry at the character in the story who appears (at this point) to be in need of atonement. Her ‘crime’ is born from a deadly cocktail of ignorance, laziness and certainty, mixed in with prejudice and self-aggrandisement. She ruins someone’s life without a care for others, only her own mis-guided sense of truth and her own self-importance. Then, in the morning I turned on the radio to hear the news about the US/Israeli attacks on Iran.

The death and destruction this conflict brings each day adds to the human misery already witnessed in so many recent wars. Wars which have impacted many in our own community and suffering amongst our neighbours of many nations and many different faiths. It is appalling that some political leaders in the US should justify this bloodshed through lazy, ignorant, prejudiced interpretations of the Christian faith.

My views on this matter are well expressed by the American social activist, Shane Claiborne, who is one of the founders of the non-profit organization, The Simple Way , and cofounder of the Red-Letter Christians . He writes in a recent Facebook post

“No one kills with more passion than someone who believes that God is on their side.

Every major religion has been distorted by folks who want to justify their hatred and camouflage their bigotry.

And Christians are not exempt.

People who claim to be Christians are promoting unimaginable violence right now.

It is evil. It is wicked.

It is an offense to God.

Rebuke this violent perversion of our faith in the name of Jesus. And let’s do all we can to stop it. The world will know we are Christians “by our love.”

The word Christian means “Christ-like.”

Jesus is the Prince of Peace. He blessed the peacemakers and commanded us all to love our enemies. He rebuked his disciples when they resorted to violence. And he insisted that when we live by the sword we die by the sword. He carried a cross, not a sword. He died with mercy on his lips. That is our Savior.

God is love.

And every person in Iran is made in the image of God”.

We must do all we can to love one another at this time. Along with the prophets of old we seek to discern what it means for us to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God. And we walk alongside our sisters and brothers, with all those who work for a lasting peace in our world.

As always, if you would like me to pray for, or have a conversation about anything then do get in touch. I am available to listen and share in whatever might be arising for you at this time.

"Nothing can separate us from the love of God revealed to us in Christ Jesus" Eph8:38-39

With peace and blessings,

Rev Steve

07503164309

vicar@stjamesandchristchurch.uk

My day of rest this week is Monday (9th March)

St James Barton and Tredworth

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