Sharing some thoughts

Our new testament readings today  (Hebrews 13:1-8 , 15,16 &  Luke 14:1,7-14)  have a number of different themes – too many to go through this morning, but one of the common themes is that real love produces tangible actions. In other words our relationship with Jesus, if it is a relationship of love, is one that has to change us day by day…  And one of the ways the readings today point to is in the way we care for people – even about our hospitality…  In the letter to the Hebrews we have  that wonderful challenge , ‘Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that  some have entertained angels  without knowing it.’  We’ll think about that in a few moments…  And  then  in the gospel reading we heard Jesus  talking about not assuming the highest place at a dinner, and then  telling a story about inviting people to a great banquet, but making sure  not to invite  friends or relative...

This week many young people have received A Level results – for some it will have been a tremendously uplifting time following some real challenges along the way. Others will perhaps be faced with a further challenge as they try and plan their futures… So much life is about challenges, but often uplifting moments as well… And today's readings manage to be both challenging and uplifting… The gospel (Luke 13:10-17) gives us the account of the woman healed on the sabbath. We are told that she had been ill for 18 years, and when Jesus saw her, he immediately healed her. Jesus always seems to have been moved when he saw people in pain, but I wonder if on this occasion if he was, as well as offering healing, deliberately setting up a conflict with the synagogue leader. Here he seems to have acted quickly- he didn't wait to be asked to offer healing, he didn't wait to see anything about her faith, he didn't look at her background, although he may of course have ...

I n the Bible we  often  look for comfort and for peace. We look for words of hope and inspiration, for words of joy, and within the Bible there are plen ty of places to find such words.   I t is the right place to look, but today our gospel reading (Luke 12:49-56) offers us something very different. Here we see Jesus talking about bringing fire to the earth, and about bringing division between families. It’s not the pleasant  and comfortable  picture we often like to think of when we’re thinking about Jesus.  And to be honest it seems very different from most of the messages that he offers.  And that is what people are often drawn straight to and yet I don’t think t he  words  were primarily  about breaking up families but about firstly the need for commitment, and secondly the acceptance that sometimes following the way of Jesus will bring us into conflict with those close to us. Some people choose to enjoy a comfortable faith – a...

My Dad used to tell the story of how when he was in college training for the ministry ,  at morning prayer the principal would make some announcements. This doesn’t sound that bad but he would do it during the prayers by praying for people. So, he would pray for the students and then would mention one by name so his prayer would be something like –  ‘ we  pray today for Harry who is leav ing us this morning .’ The problem was this would be the first that Harry had heard of  it ! Talk about being shocked into  action ! Our readings today are best described as being shocked into  action !   The  readings are a bit like a story I read of the composer Beethoven. Beethoven would play a trick on his audiences by playing a nice gentle movement of one of his pieces, and as people were getting comfortable he would then play a loud chord that woke everyone up.  Now that’s a  shock !! This is what the readings th is morning  are ...