Sharing some thoughts

There’s a saying which goes, ‘Out of the gloom a voice said to me “Smile and be happy, things could be worse.” So I smiled and was happy, and behold, things did get worse.’… For a long time, I think the Church in this country has all too often been guilty of smiling through problems we have, pretending that they would go away, guilty perhaps of lacking real faith, of lacking confidence and doing very little to try and solve them.  The theme of today’s readings though is very much about having a confident vision for the future, based on Jesus. The gospel reading we have just heard is the stilling of the storm (Luke 8:22-25). Jesus went out with his disciples in a boat, and he fell asleep – while he was sleeping a great storm blew up, and the disciples feared for their lives, while Jesus remained asleep.  They were terrified but when they woke him he immediately calmed the storm – and then he reminded the disciples that they had no need to fear – he was with them and...

From Helen I don’t know about you but I get really fed up of people going on and on about their holidays ! I would never do that ... well, clearly I do but today I want to think about one of the most amazing places I have been which is by the Sea of Galilee. The Sea of Galilee can go from really peaceful and gentle to the most ferocious of waves and storms in no time at all. This is what happened to Jesus and the disciples in the gospel reading this morning (Luke 8:22-25) you can imagine a nice bit of quiet as they went across the sea, as they had done so many times before.  Then of course the water got stormy, and the boat was bounced around. Now the disciples had been with Jesus, they had seen Jesus do amazing things and they had followed him, safe in the knowledge that somehow with Him life was going to be better, but then this storm happened. Worst of all they turned and looked at Jesus and He was asleep. Understandably they woke Jesus up looking to Him to sort out the ...

You’ll probably all have realised how infectious a smile can be but it appears that the same is true of a hug genuinely given. Last week on the radio I heard Ian Rush, the former Liverpool and Wales footballer talking about Liverpool’s current manager, Jurgen Klopp. He said that whenever he sees him, Klopp gives him a huge hug, which makes him want to go and hug someone else… And it led me to think a bit about how, we as a church, should be hugging people (maybe not always literally !) to show them they’re loved…, and of how wonderful it would be if our hugs with others led them to go out and hug more people. Today in our gospel reading (Luke 6:17-26) we heard an account of the beatitudes. The beatitudes are also told in a bit more length in the gospel according to Matthew, but today we hear from Luke. We don’t know whether it is an account of the same speech that Jesus gave or whether it’s similar but told somewhere else which seems more likely, but that really doesn’t matte...

From Helen  When I looked at the readings for today I was reminded of the great Welsh singer who has really put this country on the map with her words of strength, a singer so important that she even managed to have a theme tune for a great film. A woman who has never shied away from her background, born in the best city in the world, Cardiff. Of course I am thinking of the great Dame Shirley Bassey. With a little less glitter and shimmer the song I can think of is ... I am what I am ... I thought of this because in the epistle reading (1 Cor. 15:1-11) we heard of Paul saying, “I am what I am..” It got me to thinking about the meaning of those words. In the song, and try not to sing along, it says “ I am what I am, I am my own special creation..” in the reading we heard Paul explaining, who he has been, a persecutor of Christians and then how he had become a follower of Jesus. Paul the persecutor had become Paul the follower. His identity had changed. Paul knew who he was...

There’s an old joke about a little boy called Johnny meeting his new baby brother who was screaming. He asked his mum, “Where did we get him?” His mother replied, “He came from heaven, Johnny,” to which Johnny replied, “Wow! I can see why they threw him out!” I think most of us have a fair idea of what not to say to a new mother – this morning we meet someone who speaks to Mary, the mother of Jesus, and they’re words that are not usually used to greet a new born child…. This morning we think about the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple, sometimes known as Candlemas and we heard in the gospel (Luke 2:22-40) of Jesus being taken to the Temple 40 days after his birth as was the custom under the Jewish law. Today we reach the end of the Christmas season – you might have thought it went some weeks ago, but actually it officially lasts until today. We’ve reached this point 40 days after Christmas and we go with Mary and Joseph and Jesus to the Temple. At the Temple Mary and ...