Reflection: Ash Wednesday Ash Wednesday marks the first day of Lent. The day derives its name from the ceremonial imposition of ashes on the foreheads of worshippers in the liturgy of the day, a rite that dates from at least the 10<sup>th</sup> century. It was also seen as a time of penitential devotion and confession to be observed by all Christian people. Penitence is an essential part of the Christian life, for none of us can measure up to the vocation that is ours as Christians. We are in constant need of the mercy and forgiveness of God. I remember when I was being schooled in the ministry and beliefs of the Church of England many years ago, prior to my being confirmed, hearing those words during an Ash Wednesday service; ‘Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return. Turn away from sin and be faithful to Christ’. Every year since I have listened to and read those words and been reminded of our mortality when I received ashes on my forehead. We need to remain stead-fast in the faith, to be penitential believers, and trust in God. But in these days of virus lockdown and Zoom services in our churches how might we manage such important services as Ash Wednesday that undoubtedly pose ministerial and practical problems about imposition of ashes? I remember a film starring Alec Guinness from the 1980s entitled Monsignor Quixote, a catholic priest, who one day knelt before the altar alone in his Parish Church to worship and receive communion. He did not consecrate a bread wafer or wine in any physical way. Rather, he conducted worship and communion in spiritual ways. He brought himself before God, on behalf of himself and his congregation in a prayerful and penitential way that he believed was real and theologically appropriate. Reflecting on such and how we might engage with an important service as Ash Wednesday with imposition of ashes, let us spiritually present ourselves before God as penitents and pray for our ourselves, for our nation and world, and for all to be reconciled in God through Christ. May this season of Lent inspire and lead you into deeper realisations of the reality of God and God’s wish and love for all. God bless, Fr Graham
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY “I love to sing hymns Vicar, but I can't believe all that rubbish in the Bible". That is what someone said to me once, and is typical of many conversations I have had over the years. Christianity, for some people, is nothing more than a quaint fairytale that is good for teaching children the difference between right and wrong, or perhaps give themselves a nice feeling at Christmas. Yet those same people are quite happy to read their stars in the newspaper, believe without question the stories they read in the press, or get engrossed in the fictitious lives of characters in soap-operas. What people so often fail to realise is that the Christian faith is about living life to the full; it is about becoming a real person. Being a believer in Jesus Christ is challenging, sometimes difficult and is never easy, but the rewards of feeling close to God is enormous. Christianity is about learning to love to the utmost, and through that, being able to live life to its fullest. There are so many people in our world today who are searching for something to make their lives more meaningful. However, they so often seem to get sidetracked by the trials and troubles of this world, or the temptations of an easy life. In this time of Covid many people are searching for certainty and hope. I do believe that Jesus Christ can bring both to anyone who is willing to dismiss their negativity and allow God's love to overwhelm them. I am often asked, "Where do I start?" Well, that is not easy to answer, as there are many routes to becoming closer to God. Just picking up a Bible might not be the answer for everybody. Sometimes the lives of the saints might help giving examples and encouragement, or it could be your example of good living, but perhaps try not to look so pure and holy that people think you are not like them. I remember when I was a young boy there was a children's entertainer on the television called Mr. Pastry (Richard Hearne); he always finished his show by saying something to the effect of, “Be good children, but not so good that everyone wonders what you have been up to.” What I believe is a sure starter to living life to the full and becoming a real person is to just take one verse of the Bible and try to live to it. The verse I am talking about is from the Gospel of St. John Chapter 13, verse 34 (Jesus said) "I give you a new commandment; love one another; just as I have loved you, you also must love one another." Try just being more loving in your life, with your family, with your friends, and in the community. There are so many people who need love, your love will not be wasted. There are so many opportunities to help people, perhaps you could give some of your time out of love? It could change your life! Finally, for the person who likes to sing hymns, but cannot get any further, perhaps I could recommend studying the words of some of the famous hymns. Hymns are often based on words from the Bible or are testaments of faith, or could be just great songs of praise and joy, and are great guidance in real life. One of the oldest hymns that we sing often in church should give anyone extra encouragement at this difficult time. Now thank we all our God, with heart and hands and voices, who wondrous things hath done, in whom this world rejoices; who from our mother's arms hath blessed us on our way with countless gifts of love, and still is ours today. O may this bounteous God through all our life be near us, with ever joyful hearts and blessed peace to cheer us; and keep us in his grace, and guide us when perplexed, and free us from all ills in this world and the next. All praise and thanks to God the Father now be given, the Son and him who reigns with them in highest heaven, the one Eternal God, whom earth and heaven adore; for thus it was, is now, and shall be evermore. We live in a world which at the moment is embroiled in uncertainty, but I am sure that most of us can remember being picked up by our mothers when we were crying after a fall. God is always ready to pick us up and cradle us in his love if we cry to him. Fr. Terry
Epiphany & Star of Bethlehem Epiphany is a Greek word meaning ‘manifestation’ or ‘theophany’ that derives from a natural theology religion that discerns manifestations of the eternal or divine present in all things. In our worship we celebrate the feast of Epiphany as the day when a Star led the Magi (Wise Men or Kings) from the East, probably Persia, East Syria or Arabia, to the child Jesus. The three Magi (Casper, Balthasar and Melchior) were by all accounts religious scholars who were revered as astronomers and astrologers. As such, they studied the stars and planets and interpreted the meaning of dreams and various cosmic events. Anything unusual that appeared in the heavens such as a bright star, comet, meteor, supernova or a planetary conjunction would have been considered as an omen. Such a sighting in the sky would have incited ‘dread and fear’ in the minds of many rather than a symbol of wonder and hope. Most in those days believed that human destiny was written in the stars and that heavenly bodies played a major role in earthly affairs, perhaps not unlike some today who organise their lives around their star signs. The Star, however, was not the only indication of the coming of Christ. In the Old Testament (e.g. Numbers 24:17) the scriptures foretold of One who was to come. His redemptive destiny had been written in the stars long before the Magi ever made their long journey to Bethlehem. But was the Star a fable or a miracle? Many tend to think the story of the Star was a fable, a literary device, used by Matthew (2:1-12) to convey a light of hope in his gospel. Ancient cultures had differing interpretations for stars, especially shooting stars, that were believed in e.g. ancient China, to mark the birth of an important child, whose soul was descending from heaven to earth, where it would come to life. Star worship was common and many offered a sacrifice to ‘his’ or ‘her’ star or lucky stars. But what does this biblical Star mean for us and how does the story call us? The event of the Epiphany invites us to bring ourselves just as we are to serve and worship God through Christ as ‘the bright morning star’ (Revelation 22:16). We are not required to bring ourselves bearing such symbolic expensive gifts as gold, frankincense and myrrh as the Magi did. Gold signified the kingship of Christ, frankincense or incense his divinity, and myrrh his redemptive suffering or virtue or prayer and suffering (Isaiah 60: 6, 11 and Psalm 72:10-11). Some early Christians were scandalised by this section of Matthew’s gospel because the role of the star was considered as favouring astrology beliefs. However, Matthew shows no interest in this problem because the star is used to serve God’s purpose by leading the Magi to Jesus. Let me conclude by offering a few words from Colin Goodman, one of our readers at St Catherine’s church. He was a very much respected reader and preacher and was a science teacher at Hastings High School in Burbage. He published a booklet of his sermons collectively entitled An unpredictable God. In one of those sermons he reflected on the event of the Epiphany, saying, “What lies beyond question is the inspiration that this story [the Epiphany] has given to the worship of the Church throughout all ages. In liturgy, poetry, music, and works of art the Epiphany has been set forth in matchless beauty and the Wise Men {Magi} have been a constant source of inspiration to all who wish to venture on a journey of faith”. Whatever we make or believe about this Star as a fact or fable used by Matthew to convey light and hope for all, it should be for us a Star of wonder and hope to inspire journeys of faith in and towards Christ, the Word made flesh. God bless, Fr Graham
A Reflection for…Sunday 3rd January 20212nd Sunday after Christmas8am Holy Communion, St Catherine’s Church, BurbageBCP CollectAlmighty God who didst wonderfully create man in thine own image, and didst yet more wonderfully restore him: Grant, we beseech thee, that as thy Son our Lord Jesus Christ was made in the likeness of men, so we may be made partakers of the divine nature; through the same thy Son, who with thee and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth, one God, world without end. Amen2 Corinthians 8:9New Revised Standard Version9 For you know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich.John 1:14-1814 And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son,[a] full of grace and truth. 15 (John testified to him and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.’”) 16 From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son,[b]who is close to the Father’s heart,[c] who has made him known.Here we are on the third day of a new year of 2021. We usually come to a new year resolutely. This year is different but the same. Good intentions are sometimes about particular concerns about over celebratory indulgence.The collect and readings today for the Book of Common Prayer on 2nd Sunday of the ongoing Christmas season give us some indications about the foundations that we can build on for this momentous new year. In the vulnerability of the year past we contemplate on the words we hear that we are wonderfully and fearfully made in the image of God. And, in the shortest new testament reading, of any year, we see the generosity of Jesus. He emptied himself of self and became a servant of us all. Though rich, in being the unmistakable Son of God, in poverty we share in the richness of the grace of God by seeing the Word made flesh in Christ. We see theunmistakable nature of God despite not seeing our Creator face to face in this limited life.‘Grace upon grace’ is a lovely statement and does express the awesomeness of those moments when we experience the warmth of the presence of Christ. The Father’s son is full of grace and truth. We know what God is like because of what we see in the life of Jesus and his ministry, born, as each one of us in all its wonder of a new birth.Wonder and grace upon grace describe for me the gift we have been aware is growing during this last year. That is the reliance on more willingly to abandon our anxieties and our heartfelt desires into our selfless prayers for others in need. To bring people and situations to mind is prayer. This is what Jesus did in his withdrawing, away from the clamour. Sometimes it led to actual acts of kindness in thought and deed. At other times it gave him insight into people and their need. Sometimes it challenged authority and individuals . To sincerely bring people and circumstances to mind is prayer. It is a wonder and grace upon grace...Please accept this piece called ‘A little way of Prayer’ inspirationally given to Dorothy Kerin (1890 – 1963 the founder of Burrswood) which I have found to be so helpful in this approach to prayer generally.‘Let us by an act of the will place ourselves in the presence of our Divine Lord, and with an act of faith ask that he will empty us of self and of all desire save that Hs most Blessed Will may be done, and that it may illumine our hearts and minds. We can then gather together all those for whom our prayers have been asked, and hold them silently up to Him, making no special request – neither asking or beseeching – but just resting, with them in Him, desiring nothing but that Our Lord may be glorified in them.In this most simple way of approach He does make known His Most Blessed Will for us . “For so He gives Himself to His beloved in quietness.”Blessings, Edward Canon Edward Pogmore
