From Caroline - [email protected], 01285 712467

Readings for Sunday: Acts 8.26-end; 1 John 4.7-end; John 15.1-8

It can be very easy, with the fragmented state of both the Church and the world in these days, to think that unity is a distant dream. Pinpointing a reason why the world is so divided and polarised right now is hard to do. Is it the instantaneous spread of news and opinion via the internet? Is it the absolute freedom of those opinions, with now immediate way to gauge the difference between truth and falsehood? Is it a cultural swing taken up and magnified by politicians and others in the world? Perhaps it is all of these and more. But crucially, the net feeling to us is that the world is divided and turned against itself.

The same could be said of the Church. We hold we have one Lord, one Baptism, one Faith, but in practice there are more shapes and flavours of worshipping community than we can shake a stick at.

And yet our readings today, through the words of Jesus, and the concrete example of the actions of Philip, led by the Holy Spirit, point us towards unity. Jesus tells us that he is the Vine, and we are the branches. We are all bound together towards one root, one source of life and wholeness.

Philip, on encountering a man who was forbidden to worship God in the temple, due to his status as a eunuch, refused to stand by that ancient division, and instead followed the lead of the Spirit – to guide and teach, and finally to welcome through the sacrament of Baptism, this outsider.

Human beings love to set up barriers between ourselves. We like to mark out little groups and separations. But to do so only makes us weaker. Jesus shows us a better way – into a unity and a sense of belonging that is to be extended to all, no matter where they were born or the colour of their skin, or their gender, or the condition of their body. We are all the branches of one vine, and our task is to offer radical welcome to all who want to be part of it. No divisions, no gatekeeping, no hierarchy of belonging.

May we stand against the worldly temptation to divide and reject, and instead be ready to embrace Jesus’ command to welcome all in love.

Rev’d Caroline

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