Finally – a good news story!!! And on this feast day of St Peter and St Paul we celebrate: not just the good news of Peter’s escape from the chains which held him captive, but the wider connection between Peter and Paul: the personal intervention of Jesus in both their lives, freeing both of them from the chains (both metaphorical and real chains) which held them back from becoming the people that God intended them to become.
We all know that Peter was passionate about Jesus when he was alive – he gave up everything to follow him – and he was just as passionate after Jesus was crucified, died and rose again. Peter struggled to understand what Jesus was teaching him and his fellow disciples, and sometimes he did not understand – like the rest of us. He had a generous heart and he wanted to be close to Jesus for ever. Yet, again as with so many of us, when his own test came, he failed. For me, what happened with Peter is a real comfort because if Peter, the Rock on which Jesus built his church, this simple fisherman with a big heart, could fail and still be loved by Jesus then there is hope for everyone. We can know that our own failures will not separate us from the love of the Lord Jesus.
“Out of sight, out of mind” the saying goes. And it was when Jesus was out of his sight that this terror struck and the denials came so easily to Peter. Does that resonate with any of you? It does with me, so the lesson to be learned from Peter’s experience is always to have the Lord’s presence in our hearts and in our minds. That way at least we have a fighting chance of standing up for him when we are challenged. Not least because he is with us in that instant. And while sitting in that prison you can bet that Peter definitely had his heart and mind set on Jesus, even though he was probably frightened because of the terrifying circumstances in which he found himself, not least because of what had happened to James at the hands of Herod.
We are all familiar of the story of Paul and his encounter with the Lord on the road to Damascus. What happened to Paul through a powerful experience of divine revelation which he encountered on that road to Damascus, was nothing more and nothing less than a complete transformation in here (heart) and a new understanding of what it means to have a personal and real relationship with the Lord.
Paul once wrote “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?” (Romans 8:35) and “For with God, nothing [is] impossible” for “he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it.” (1 Cor. 10:13) Certainly after his personal encounter with the Lord nothing separated Paul from Jesus’ love: he was flogged 5 times, each with the 39 strokes; he was beaten with rods 3 times; he was stoned once and was shipwrecked 3 times (2 Cor 11:24-25). He repeatedly braved the dangers and weariness of long journeys on foot and spent many years in prison; but none of these things succeeded in separating him from the love of the Lord Jesus.
So what is it that connects these two men from such radically different backgrounds – the one a simple Fisherman and the other a highly educated Roman citizen? Jesus Christ. The Lord. Their Lord. Our Lord. This same Jesus Christ who appears to us in many ways that often we do not recognise nor understand until later on when we look back, and see that he was in the midst of all that was happening – good and bad.
The chains falling off Peter in that prison I think can be likened to the resurrection. Through God’s grace, Peter was freed from his imprisonment. When people, you and me, are in a dark place, it can seem like imprisonment. We feel trapped; there does not seem to be a good ending in sight to the difficulties in which we find ourselves. And sometimes this can go on for a long time. But hang on in there, because I can assure you – Jesus is there with you, in the midst of all the troubles. How do I know this? Because I and many others have experienced this.
When I am bereaved, resurrection begins when I look at a photograph of the person whose loss has been so wounding, and the sight of it unexpectedly brings a smile of joyful memory rather than a reopening of the wound. When relationships break up, resurrection begins when I realise (unbeknown to anyone else) that for the first time in a long time I am enjoying something because I am me, not because I am half of a partnership. When redundancy comes, resurrection begins when I discover that I have done something different or new which genuinely fills me with the measure of my own worth rather than filling me with satisfaction at what my job is worth.
And those are just 3 examples. They are things to celebrate. So to finish I wish to share with you a slightly different version of the Footsteps story which I hope, like me, will fill you with hope and thanksgiving that our Lord is with us through everything.
Imagine you and the Lord Jesus are walking down a beach together. For much of the way, the Lord's footprints go along steadily, consistently, rarely varying the pace...But your footprints are a disorganized stream of zigzags, starts, stops, turnarounds, circles, departures, and returns. For much of the way, it seems to go like this, but gradually your footprints come more in line with the Lord's, soon paralleling, His consistently. You and Jesus are walking as true friends!
This seems perfect, but then an interesting thing happens: Your footprints that once etched the sand next to Jesus' are now walking precisely in His steps. Inside His larger footprints are your smaller ones, you and Jesus are becoming one. This goes on for many miles, but gradually you notice another change. The footprints inside the large footprints seem to grow larger. Eventually they disappear altogether. There is only one set of footprints. They have become one. This goes on for a long time, but suddenly the second set of footprints is back. This time it seems even worse! Zigzags all over the place. Stops. Starts. Gashes in the sand. A variable mess of prints. You are amazed and shocked. Your dream ends.
Now you pray: 'Lord, I understand the first scene, with zigzags and fits. I was a new Christian; I was just learning. But You walked on through the storm and helped me learn to walk with You. ''That is correct.' 'And when the smaller footprints were inside of Yours, I was actually learning to walk in Your steps, following You very closely..' 'Very good. You have understood everything so far..' When the smaller footprints grew and filled in Yours, I suppose that I was becoming like You in every way.' 'Precisely.' 'So, Lord, was there a regression or something ? The footprints separated, and this time it was worse than at first.' There is a pause as the Lord answers, with a smile in His voice. 'You didn't know? It was then that we danced!'
Amen
Tuesday, 30 June 2009
Thursday, 25 June 2009
July 2009 Vol. 31, No. 7
THE REVEREND CLAIRE GOODE WRITES:
Dear Friends
By the time you read this I will have been ordained Priest in Southwell Minster and be entering into a second phase of ordained ministry. The most obvious development of this will be for members of the congregations to see me preside at Holy Communion. But how is it that we understand ‘priesthood’ and what is it that we understand by the ‘priesthood of all believers’?These are questions that I have been thinking about, particularly as numbers of ordained clergy have declined significantly over the years, but the ministry of Christ on earth probably has an even greater urgency than ever before.
Recently, the Archdeacon, Peter Hill, came to help us think about a new vision for the East Leake Benefice and he suggested two very simple messages. We are here to “reveal Jesus” and “serve our communities”. It’s really that simple. But we do need to consider how we can do this for today and this includes a need to do some things in a new way.
Some of the clergy have been reading the book “Creating Uncommon Worship” which explores how we might do things differently in our Sunday services to make them more accessible to those less familiar with the traditional church – some of the different chair layouts at St Mary’s have come from this! However, the most radical idea is actually about priesthood.
In his first letter to the early church, St Peter speaks of the early worshippers: “You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.” (1 Peter 2.9) This is the passage of scripture which leads us to talk of the ‘priesthood of all believers’ – but what does that mean? It doesn’t mean that each individual member of the church is a priest nor that some are ‘ministerial’ priests and some aren’t. It’s a picture of all of us together, the body of Christ – the Church here on earth (the Church Militant as the Book of Common Prayer puts it). We’re all in it together! So when, we say, “We are the body of Christ” and share the peace with one another, we are affirming to each other, that we are together, collectively, one. We will still have different gifts that God gives us to use for the benefit of others in order to grow the Kingdom of God here on earth and we need to exercise those gifts wisely and well. We need to recognise and encourage others in their gifts – in leading the church, in preaching, in offering words of prophecy, in prayer, in generous giving, in acts of mercy and kindness – there are lists in some of Paul’s letters – have a look at 1 Corinthians 12 or Ephesians 4. In other words, it’s not about ‘what the vicar does on Sundays’ – it’s much bigger than that, and it’s much more exciting than that! It’s “more than we can ever ask or imagine” to quote St Paul again. (Eph 3.20) Neither do we do it, in our own strength – on our own we would achieve nothing – but the Holy Spirit working in us will bring about this building up of the Body of Christ.
So, when you see me, or anyone else, presiding at Holy Communion, remember that we are all ‘a royal priesthood’ revealing Jesus to the world as we come together in worship and as we serve our communities.
“Now to the One who is able to keep you from falling, and to make you stand without blemish in the presence of his glory with rejoicing, to the only God our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory and majesty, power and authority, be for all time and now and forever. Amen.” (Jude 8.24-25)
My love and prayers be with you.
Claire Goode
Dear Friends
By the time you read this I will have been ordained Priest in Southwell Minster and be entering into a second phase of ordained ministry. The most obvious development of this will be for members of the congregations to see me preside at Holy Communion. But how is it that we understand ‘priesthood’ and what is it that we understand by the ‘priesthood of all believers’?These are questions that I have been thinking about, particularly as numbers of ordained clergy have declined significantly over the years, but the ministry of Christ on earth probably has an even greater urgency than ever before.
Recently, the Archdeacon, Peter Hill, came to help us think about a new vision for the East Leake Benefice and he suggested two very simple messages. We are here to “reveal Jesus” and “serve our communities”. It’s really that simple. But we do need to consider how we can do this for today and this includes a need to do some things in a new way.
Some of the clergy have been reading the book “Creating Uncommon Worship” which explores how we might do things differently in our Sunday services to make them more accessible to those less familiar with the traditional church – some of the different chair layouts at St Mary’s have come from this! However, the most radical idea is actually about priesthood.
In his first letter to the early church, St Peter speaks of the early worshippers: “You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.” (1 Peter 2.9) This is the passage of scripture which leads us to talk of the ‘priesthood of all believers’ – but what does that mean? It doesn’t mean that each individual member of the church is a priest nor that some are ‘ministerial’ priests and some aren’t. It’s a picture of all of us together, the body of Christ – the Church here on earth (the Church Militant as the Book of Common Prayer puts it). We’re all in it together! So when, we say, “We are the body of Christ” and share the peace with one another, we are affirming to each other, that we are together, collectively, one. We will still have different gifts that God gives us to use for the benefit of others in order to grow the Kingdom of God here on earth and we need to exercise those gifts wisely and well. We need to recognise and encourage others in their gifts – in leading the church, in preaching, in offering words of prophecy, in prayer, in generous giving, in acts of mercy and kindness – there are lists in some of Paul’s letters – have a look at 1 Corinthians 12 or Ephesians 4. In other words, it’s not about ‘what the vicar does on Sundays’ – it’s much bigger than that, and it’s much more exciting than that! It’s “more than we can ever ask or imagine” to quote St Paul again. (Eph 3.20) Neither do we do it, in our own strength – on our own we would achieve nothing – but the Holy Spirit working in us will bring about this building up of the Body of Christ.
So, when you see me, or anyone else, presiding at Holy Communion, remember that we are all ‘a royal priesthood’ revealing Jesus to the world as we come together in worship and as we serve our communities.
“Now to the One who is able to keep you from falling, and to make you stand without blemish in the presence of his glory with rejoicing, to the only God our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory and majesty, power and authority, be for all time and now and forever. Amen.” (Jude 8.24-25)
My love and prayers be with you.
Claire Goode
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
