Sharing some thoughts

In our gospel reading (Mark 13:18), we're told that as Jesus left the Temple one of his disciples commented on what large stones and buildings. It was a comment that recognised the incredible grandness and majesty of the surroundings, but Jesus replied, 'not one stone will be left; all will be thrown down'. Though it doesn't immediately sound it the reading reflects hope - not hope in the way it is seen often in worldly terms - hope of a good job, hope of lots of money or good health, hope of winning the lottery perhaps but hope in terms of knowing that whatever happens in our lives with Jesus on our side, nothing can ever really destroy us. There’s a rather nice true story about a volunteer tutor was asked to visit a nine-year-old in a large hospital. She took the boy's name and room number and was told by the boy's teacher that they were studying nouns and adverbs in class. It wasn't until the tutor got to the boy's room that she realised the boy ...

This week as in so many weeks it’s not been too difficult to find news stories about conflict, about suffering and about people being killed. The tragedy of war and hatred goes on and at this time of year we make a special point of offering thoughts and prayers for those involved in conflict today as well as those in the past… Of course those prayers must be ongoing for Christians celebrating a God of love and peace…. There are a number of purposes of Remembrance time with the primary one obviously being to remember – to remember those who have lost their lives in war, and those who have suffered terribly whether because of an injury or illness sustained themselves, or because of the loss of a loved one. Remembering is one of the most powerful emotions we have – often we forget things we want to remember and remember things we would rather not ! Sometimes memory is selective – for example I remember the scores when my favourite sports teams win, but don’t have such recollection of...

Today as we celebrate All Saints Day our readings naturally concentrate on God’s love, his grace, on the many blessings that he gives to us every day, and ultimately upon the victory which he has already won – the victory over everything that is wrong in the world and in our lives today. In the reading from Isaiah (25:6-9) we are given a picture of an incredible feast – good food, good wine, no worries about anything, …  It is a picture of a perfect kingdom, a kingdom where pain and suffering is over, where tears are wiped away – it is a reminder of God’s power and of how ultimately, he will triumph over any problems of this world.   And there’s a similar feeling in the reading from the Book of Revelation (21:1-5). The reading tells of the new Jerusalem, a city fit for God to live in, a city where mourning and crying and pain are no more.  And then in the gospel of John (11:32-44) we have the account of Jesus weeping as he hears of the death of his friend Lazarus, ...

As texts vary for this particular Sunday this is a specifically 'general' sermon. It is not intended in any way to contradict the importance of the bible by not using specific texts !  Today is the day appointed in the Church calendar as Bible Sunday. In one of the more modern translations of the book there is a preview which describes the book as ‘pages that contain stories on an epic scale – thrillers, adventures, family sagas and more – taut with emotion and spanning the whole of history. Yet a single current – one of love, sadness, betrayal and forgiveness – flows through. It points to a Father who offered his only Son so that we can go free…. A cast of thousands crowds the pages – people living in different times and different places… But the casting isn’t closed. In the continuing drama, each one of us is invited to play a part.’ Reading this preview this books sounds far more interesting than any episode of Eastenders, Coronation Street, Emmerdale, or e...