This Sunday’s Gospel is the famous story where Jesus meets a man who is so afflicted by mental illness and demons that he lives naked among the tombs, in an area on the banks of Lake Galilee known as Gerasene. The scene is one of unutterable hopelessness and suffering: a fellow human so horrifically afflicted, maltreated, abandoned and neglected, that he is reduced to living like a wild animal in a place of death. And yet, into all this hopelessness Jesus steps in. The scene is transformed into one of beauty and hope as he offers the man love, compassion and healing. And so, it is that Jesus steps into all the hopelessness of the world. With Jesus at our side, we need not be afraid. We can have great hope and joy as we know that our Saviour is with us, even in the darkest times and places.Revd Richard
This Sunday we celebrate the mystery of the Holy Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Quite how one plus one plus one equals one is difficult to explain but it still makes sense. The Trinity is sometimes described as a dance, or ‘perochoresis’ to use its Greek term. It describes each person of the Trinity loving, adoring and rejoicing in each other. It’s a good model for what we do in church where we should all be loving and supporting one another and building each other up to allow each of us to flourish. This Sunday we welcome Jassica, our new team vicar, who will bring her own gifts and energy to join the dance, and help create a vibrant, spirit-filled community of people in the parish of Great Yarmouth.Revd Liz
A group of puzzled disciples take leave of their master and return to the city in what becomes a story of expectant hope. They did not know what would happen next. It’s a time of waiting and a change will come upon them which transforms them from a frightened, weak and scattered people to a revolutionary mission force who will carry the good news to the end of the earth. This is the power of the Holy Spirit poured out on the Apostles.As we mark the feast of Pentecost this weekend, we are reminded that the same Spirit who stirred those puzzled disciples breathes life into us, equipping us to be Christ’s witnesses in our communities and beyond. Let us be open to that Spirit — to be renewed, emboldened, and sent out in love. “Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful people, and kindle in us the fire of your love.” May this Pentecost be a time of renewal, both personally and in our life together as the church of God and we look forward to serving Christ in the year to come.Fr Simon
This week’s Gospel comes at the end of Jesus’ Farewell Discourse in John’s Gospel (Chapters 14-17). It’s a sort of after-dinner speech – half sermon half prayer – which follows the Last Supper. For the last few weeks, it has made up our Gospel readings. It is meant to offer the Disciples hope and comfort before Jesus faces his arrest, trial and death. There is a danger, however, that it can be misunderstood as an incitement to form closed, pious and inward-looking sects of Christian believers, given its repeated encouragement that we love one another and oppose ourselves to the ways of the world. But in our passage today it is clear that this is not what Jesus wants. Instead, he wants us to use the love he has for us – which we have learned, through him, to have for one another – and to radiate that love out into the world to call others to his side.Rev Richard
