'The Holy Trinity, AI and the future of the human race' - Weekly Reflection 31st May 2026

This weeks Reflection is an edited version of the sermon I presented this morning, Trinity Sunday, to St Oswald’s Church, Rugby.

In 1970, Canadian journalist turned futurologist, Alvin Toffler, wrote a seminal book called ‘Future Shock.’ He followed this up with ‘Third Wave’ in 1980 and then followed this up with ‘Previews and Premises’ in 1984.  

I never read ‘Future Shock’ but did read ‘Third Wave’ and then ‘Previews and Premises’ which is an update on ‘Third Wave.

(In "The Third Wave," Alvin Toffler explores the evolution of human civilization through three distinct waves: the Agrarian Society, the Industrial Society, and the emerging Information Age, highlighting the profound societal changes each wave brings.)

I was and continue to be deeply impacted by both books.  One of the things Toffler spoke of was the advent of the computer. He said that everyone would have one and that this would change the world of work and communication. The other key point I remember was the breakdown of community and the changing nature of families.  Toffler spoke of the ‘electronic cottage’ with people working from home.

And last night I watched a lecture from the charity, ‘Towards the Common Good.’

Staying Human Series EP#05 - AI, the Future of Work and Christian Discernment - with Matthew Sanders

What are the most common questions we ask someone upon meeting them for the first time, something you often see on Games Shows on TV. What is your name, where do you come and what do you do. That latter question most often relating to the ‘work role.’ Because, truth be told, we all do a lot of things in any given day. We have got used to being defined by our work.

The ‘technological revolution’ that Toffler mentioned has developed exponentially with the coming of A1. There are some who argue that we are fast heading towards a world and a society where any work as we have commonly known will become redundant as AI develops first from software, removing the need for humans, or at least many humans, from information services. Eventually moving into hard AI (robots as already present in many warehouses and manufacturing) and replacing virtually everything currently done by humans.

Recently published Pope Leo XIV presents "Magnifica Humanitas" as the Church’s response to the challenges posed by artificial intelligence, calling for AI to be “disarmed” from logics of domination, exclusion and war. Drawing parallels with Rerum Novarum, the Pope urges the global community to place technological progress at the service of human dignity, solidarity and the common good.

Pope Leo presents 'Magnifica humanitas’ calling for disarmament of AI - Vatican News

I would argue that the Church, the people of God, is in the right place, with the right tools, to be the salvation of society.  

However, we need to do some very serious rethinking of what it means to be the people of God locally placed, small-scale and with the smell and taste of the local, its history, its present and offering a hopeful future.

Today we celebrate Trinity Sunday. And the Trinity is not some obscure doctrine but rather the experiential reality for those who knew God as Father but then encountered Jesus and then experienced the infilling and indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

A deep and profound and unfathomable mystery, but let’s not be afraid to embrace mystery.

Einstein said, “logic will get you from A to B, but imagination can take your everywhere.”

Logic, imagination and mystery – all these help us to encounter God.

And the Trinity is about a big of a mystery as we could get and yet a mystery we can embrace and step into albeit we may not have all the answers.

Consider this statement, one which I think most, if not all Christians would agree.

‘God is love.’

However, can there be love without the beloved – someone or something that is the object of that love. And isn’t it the case that if that love be genuine, in the best of circumstances that love will be reciprocated if the object of love has agency as a sentient being.  

Therefore, isn’t it plain logic that for love to be active there must be something or someone to love?

A further question then – If God is a single entity and if God is love, whom or what does God love?

We do have John 3.16 – ‘for God so loved the world…’

So, we have God loving the world…

But whom or what did God love before the world began – if God was a single entity?

The logical and satisfactory answer comes in the idea of God as three persons, what we know as the Trinity.

And this is exactly what we find in the opening pages of the Bible in the creation narrative of Gensis.

We have God calling out the Word, and we have the Spirit hovering over the chaos waters.

A picture that John picks up in the opening prologue to his Gospel. 

‘In the beginning was the Word, and the was with God and the Word was God.’

And in the ordinary course of things and in the best of all circumstances what is it that love does?   It creates, it gives new life, and it promotes flourishing.

Again, that is exactly what we read in Genesis and the creation story.

‘Let us create humankind in our own image.’

Think of it this way. When a human couple come together in love then in the best of all circumstances and in the ordinary course of things they will create new life.

That is what true love does, it creates, it brings new life, it produces a flourishing of the other, the beloved other.

In his book,‘The Divine Dance’ Father Richard Rhor focusses largely around Rublev’s famous Icon, ‘The Hospitality of Abraham’ with its popular alternative title of ‘The Holy Trinity.’

Rhor emphasises the Holy Community of the Trinity into which we are invited to participate in the lifegiving and outpouring love.

God is a community of equals operating out of reciprocal love.

One is lonely, two can become oppositional but three gives an opportunity for a dynamic symbiosis.  And this Holy Community as it operates out of reciprocal love births new life and creates flourishing.

And it here that we begin to grasp both the joy and the challenge of being God’s image bearers.

Remember, ‘let us create humankind in our image.’

Not in physical likeness, but in attributes, in our lives, in the way we live and love and foster flourishing.

Chapters 13-17 of John’s Gospel, known as Jesus’ final discourses, if they teach us anything, it is about the mutual abiding and dwelling of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

But moreover, that we are invited into that very same abiding presence.

As imagers bearers, as witnesses to the world, we are called to operate in like manner.

To be a community of equals operating out of reciprocal love. A community that births life, has an outpouring of love which produces a flourishing.

Paul writing to the Galatians emphasises that we are equal, “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Gal 3.28.

Therefore, a question for us to answer as Communities of Faith locally placed and called to be image bearers is, does everything we do seek to do birth new life, demonstrate love and seeks the flourishing of the other.

Does it seek to bear witness to the Holy Trinity as a Community of reciprocal love?

How can we become more of a Faith Community, a Faith Community that is committed at the core, open at the edges, evangelized and naturally evangelizing. 

(1) see below for one way of enhancing and developing a Faith Community. 

Returning to Rublev’s Icon.

You notice the three figures, and you will notice a space.

There is always space for the other to come and be part of the Faith Community.  That’s what it means to have ‘open edges’ – making room for ‘the other.’  Offering a place for them to find love, a community, somewhere where they are defined first and foremost as a ‘human being’ not a ‘human doing,’  and as someone made in the image of God.   

God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit is a community of equals operating out of reciprocal love bringing new life and flourishing.

The salvation of society that has been obsessively focused on defining people by their work could be found in the life of the local Church, if we are bold enough to develop Faith Communities.

Faith Communities where everyone is treated as equals, that operates out of reciprocal love and brings new life and flourishing reflecting the Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  

 

 (1) To foster intentionality it is helpful if a Faith Community develops an annual pattern of rehearsing five key stories across the year.

Story One, January - My Story.  Stories of how people came to Faith within the Faith Community and also read the stories of how other people throughout history came to Faith.

Story Two, February - Our Story. What is the story of our Faith Community/Church. That includes the building if you have one. Explore who are you are and your history as the People of God.

Story Three, Lent - The Jesus Story. Explore together what we really know about Jesus.

Story Four, Pentecost - Their Story. What is the story of our wider community, our village, town or area. What are the concerns and the joys. What are the demographics.

Story Five, Advent/Christmass - The God Story. What is God's metanarrative, where and to what end is all this leading. 

'Trinity Sunday 2026' - Transcript of Sermon St Oswalds Rugby 31st May 2026

 St Oswald’s Trinity Sunday 2026

(Sunday 31st May 2026 10.30am service)

John 16:5-15

Can I invite you to raise your hand if you agree with this statement.

‘God is love.’

Okay, let’s think a tad deeper.

Can there be love without the beloved – someone or something that is the object of that love. And isn’t it the case that if that love be genuine, in the best of circumstances that love will be reciprocated if the object of love has agency as a sentient being.  

Therefore, isn’t it plain logic that for love to be active there must be something or someone to love?

A further question then – if God is a single entity and if God is love, whom or what does God love?

Now you may want to quote John 3.16 – ‘for God so loved the world. So, okay we have God loving the world…

But whom or what did God love before the world began – if God was a single entity?

The logical and satisfactory answer comes in the idea of God as three persons, what we know as the Trinity.

And this is exactly what we find in the opening pages of our Bible in the creation narrative of Gensis.

We have God calling out the Word, and we have the Spirit hovering over the chaos waters. (Not hoovering, that’s something very different)

A picture that John picks up in the opening prologue to his Gospel. 

‘In the beginning was the Word, and the was with God and the Word was God.’

 And in the ordinary course of things and in the best of all circumstances what is it that love does?   It creates, it gives new life, and it promotes flourishing.

Again, that is exactly what we read in Genesis and the creation story.

‘Let us create humankind in our own image.’

Think of it this way. When a human couple come together in love then in the best of all circumstances and in the ordinary course of things they will create new life.

That is what true love does, it creates, it brings new life, it produces a flourishing of the other, the beloved other.

Thus, we may say that the Trinity is not some obscure doctrine but rather the experiential reality for those who knew God as Father but then encountered Jesus and then experienced the infilling and indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

A deep and profound and unfathomable mystery, but let’s not be afraid to embrace mystery.

Einstein said, “logic will get you from A to B, but imagination can take your everywhere.”

Logic, imagination and mystery – all these help us to encounter God.

And the Trinity is about a big of a mystery as we could get and yet a mystery we can embrace and step into albeit we may not have all the answers.

The various Councils in the early Church tried to bring some definition of what was and what was not being said in the Doctrine of the Trinity. And one of those involved in this debate was Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria in the second century. (Feast Day at the beginning of May)

Amongst the many gifts he left to the Church was his very comprehensive Creed in defence of the Trinity.  You will find a copy in the BCP. However, it is a dense read, especially couched in the 17^th century language of the BCP.

A more accessible reflection on the Trinity and its importance in Christian thought is a book by Father Richard Rhor, ‘The Divine Dance’.  This focusses largely around Rublev’s famous Icon, ‘The Hospitality of Abraham’ with its popular alternative title of ‘The Holy Trinity.’

Rhor emphasises the Holy Community of the Trinity into which we are invited to participate in the lifegiving and outpouring love.

          God is a community of equals operating out of reciprocal love.

One is lonely, two can become oppositional but three gives an opportunity for a dynamic symbiosis.  And this Holy Community as it operates out of reciprocal love births new life and creates flourishing.

And it here that we begin to grasp both the joy and the challenge of being God’s image bearers.

Remember, ‘let us create humankind in our image.’

Not in physical likeness, but in attributes, in our lives, in the way we live and love and foster flourishing.

Consider this as we come to our APCM this morning.

Consider this as we seek to live as faithful apprentice to Jesus.

 Reflecting on our Gospel reading this morning…

Jesus is going back to the Father and promises to send the Holy Spirit, which is what we celebrated last week, the Feast of Pentecost.

 If these chapters of John’s Gospel, known as Jesus’ final discourses, chapters 13 through to 17, if they teach us anything, it is about the mutual abiding and dwelling of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

But more over that we are invited into that very same abiding presence.

As imagers bearers, as witnesses to the world, we are called to operate in like manner.

To be a community of equals operating out of reciprocal love. A community that births life, has an outpouring of love which produces a flourishing.

Paul writing to the Galatians emphasises that we are equal, “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Gal 3.28.

Therefore, a question for us to answer individually and as the Church Family called to be image bearers here and now and in this place, the question is, does everything we do seek to do birth new life, demonstrate love and seeks the flourishing of the other.

Does it seek to bear witness to the Holy Trinity as a Community of reciprocal love?

Are we becoming more of a Faith Community.

A Faith Community that is committed at the core, open at the edges, evangelized and naturally evangelizing.

And let me make one final point returning to Rublev’s Icon. 

You notice the three figures, and you will notice a space.

There is always space for the other to come and be part of the Faith Community.  Because you will either be playing a part or playing apart.

Should you choose to play apart, then that is your choice, but heed the words of Jesus…

“Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.”

Part of Jesus’ final discourse, John 15.4

God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit is a community of equals operating out of reciprocal love bringing new life and flourishing.

I began with a question, so let me end with another question. Is this a fair descriptor of St Oswald’s Faith Community?

The Faith Community of St Oswald’s is a community of equals, operating out of reciprocal love that brings new life and flourishing reflecting the Holy Trinity out into the community and the wider world.

Let us pray…

Grant that what we say and sing with our lips,

we may believe in our hearts,

and what we believe in our hearts,

we may show forth in our lives.

To the praise and glory of the Holy Trinity,

Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Amen.

This I Believe....

https://youtu.be/QzT26YVEr24?si=QvE2B94Ic5rHdom-

'Hope for the Hopeless' - Weekly Reflection 24th May 2026

 Today at St Oswald’s, on this Pentecost Sunday, we sang a familiar worship song, 'My hope is built on nothing less,' (Cornerstone). This Hillsong rendition is a rewrite of an original hymn by Edward Mote in 1834.

I was amused and pleased because this song had been buzzing in my head since Tuesday last, and it certainly is a great song to have as ear worm!

Tuesday last was week three of the ‘Living with Loss’ course being held at  HMP Rye Hill. I have been going along in support of Elisabeth (Free Church Chaplain) who is leading the course. She knew that I had celebrated a birthday (16^th May) and invited me to share something about my age (75) and what kept me ‘alive’ and what gave me hope.

Well, of course my Christian faith gives me hope, and I was able to say that very clearly. And when speaking of hope to Christians in a Christian context I have often explained what hope is my using an acronym, HOPE - Holding Onto Past Experience.  For surely this is what we see written in the Scriptures. The Israelites rehearsed and remembered their past, told in story and song.  Remembering God’s faithfulness in the past gave them courage for the present and hope for the future.  

This is picked up in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. No more so than in the Eucharist, which is about remembering, 'do this in rememberance of me.' Recalling that Jesus gives ‘strength for today and a bright hope tomorrow’, to quote another hymn. (From ‘Great is thy faithfulness’ which was one of the hymns we had at our wedding 44 years ago. A hymn that has continued to pop up over those years, serving as good reminder of God’s faithfulness throughout the years)

Back to Tuesday and the group in Rye Hil. I didn’t mention my acronym of Hope.  And therefore I was intrigued when a young man said, ‘how can you have hope if all your past experiences have been rubbish.’

Now, I have been chewing that over again and again and wondering just where do people find their hope outside of God. I have been trying to think hard about my life before I became a Christian and thinking about what gave me hope then. But there is nothing I can think of apart from being more optimistic by nature.

Before I became a Christian I think I might have said a whimsical phrase that I have on a mug, “Everything will be okay in the end. If it’s not okay, it’s not the end.” This has been attributed to John Lennon. It is an okay quote, and I know it has inspired and continues to inspire many people.

However, for me it has the ring of  optimism about it, which is okay to a point.

As a Christian I have come to lean upon a simple quote from Mother Juian on Norwich.

“All shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well.”

Julian of Norwich, (1342-c.1416) whose influence has grown steadily across the centuries, is now regarded as one of the most significant Christian mystics of the Middle Ages. She wrote Revelations of Divine Love, the earliest surviving book in the English language written by a woman. At the heart of her vision was a radical and tender truth: that divine love is the ultimate reality, holding all of creation together, even in the midst of suffering.

I find this quote to be more meaningful and grounded in divine love of the one who sang all creation into being and by whose Spirit continues to animate and sustain the cosmos.

The importance of hope is well explained and explored in a seminal book by Viktor E. Frankl Man's Search for Meaning. First published in 1946, it is a memoir and psychological exploration by Frankl, chronicling his experiences as a prisoner in Nazi concentration camps during World War II and introducing his psychotherapeutic approach called logotherapy. 

I think it is one of those books that everyone should read at some time.

Some of this links in with a book I am reading currently which I have mentioned before. ‘The Devil You Know: Encounters in Forensic Psychiatry’ by Gwen Adshead and Eileen Horne.

One of Britain’s leading forensic psychiatrists, Dr Gwen Adshead, shares the eye-opening insights that she has gained providing therapy to countless violent criminals and calls for greater compassion and shared humanity in the face of complex and emotive psychological issues.  

One of the common factors in therapy sessions is to try and get the patient back to their early and formative years.

For as it now well recognised, it is those early years that can lead to a person to develop from childhood into a dysfunctional adult.

‘How do have hope when all your past experiences have been rubbish.’

How would you answer that question, are  you even able to answer that question. 

I am still struggling to find an answer. But one thing is certain that life without hope soon leads to despair and can lead to death. That was one of Victor Frankl’s observations in the Concentration Camp. He said that he saw the light of hope go out of men’s eyes and knew that within days they would be dead.  

I got close to that once. When I was living in London and a set of circumstances and a letter I had received sent me into a deep despair. During the night I went out for a walk and found myself by the river Thames, along the Embankment. I looked at the dark swirling waters and the steps going down into the inky blackness. The thought did cross my mind to step down into the river and let all the pain and despair and my life be carried away into oblivion.  Fortunately, I was a Christian and fortunately it wasn’t anything other than a moment of thought. Even so, it was a scary moment.

Romans 15:13: "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." 

 

https://youtu.be/QvLxZEU02uI?si=kvD63pXclebeWG7e

(“Sweetest frame” refers to the most pleasant or appealing human experiences, emotions, or foundations, which the hymn advises not to fully trust, instead placing ultimate trust in Christ.)

 

'So, just who is in control?' - Weekly Reflection 17th May 2026

The Titanic continues to fascinate people, and we recently watched the BBC docudrama, The Titanic Sinks Tonight. (BBC Two - Titanic Sinks Tonight, Series 1, The Unsinkable Ship)

In one of the scenes a lifeboat watching as the Titanic slipped beneath the waves. A man stood up and said, we ought to pray, is everyone okay if we say the Lord’s Prayer together.

Given the year, 1912, for the most part this would have been a normal thing to have done, and the Lord’s Prayer would have been familiar if not to everyone, then at least to the majority.

Of course, the Lord’s Prayer has been written about, and sung in a variety of ways, and so there is little I can add by way of reflection.  (I can highly recommend the Bible Project’s teaching on the Lord Prayer - The Meaning of the Lord’s Prayer Explained | Free Guide)

Today (Sunday 17^th May) we are on Day Four of the ‘Thy Kingdom Come' initiative based around praying the Lord’s Prayer allied with a specific prayer for five not yet Christians friends or family.

It is quite remarkable how this initiative has grown and spread across the world. This is from the ‘fronts page’ of the Thy Kingdom Come web page.

Since it began in May 2016, God has grown TKC from a dream of possibility into a movement which unites more than a million Christians in prayer, in nearly 90% of countries worldwide, across 85 different denominations and traditions- so that friends and family, neighbours and colleagues might come to faith in Jesus Christ.

Every person, household and church are encouraged to pray during the 11 days in their own way.

It is our hope & prayer, that those who have not yet heard the Good News of Jesus Christ and His love for the world, will hear it for themselves and respond and follow Him.

Specifically, we again invite each and every Christian across the globe to pray that God’s Spirit might work in the lives of 5 people who have not responded with their ‘Yes’ to God’s call.

I was listening to a podcast the other day ‘Is Politics Dividing the Church? – Tom Wright and Preston Sprinkle.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/3r6bvfkEkLwpgVtY1XXMrb?si=b7bff8a483964e24

Tom Wright is one amongst a growing number of Biblical scholars who have said that we have seriously misread the Gospel story, in particular that the ‘Gospel’ is focussed around our going to heaven when we die because we have said a prayer of accepting Jesus into our lives. He doesn’t say that this step is unimportant but focussing on our destiny as being ‘heaven’ needs adjusting and rethinking.

On Thursday last (14^th May) we celebrated 'The Feast of the Ascension’ which amongst other things points us towards the Great Commission of Matthew 28:16-20.

It is here that Jesus declares he has been given all authority in heaven and on earth.

Tom Wright asks the question, ‘what does it mean to say that Jesus has all authority and rules on earth?’

This pushes us back to the Lord’s Prayer and what appears to have been missed or perhaps its full implication has remained a tad vague. For in truth there is a danger, rather like this in the lifeboat, the Lord’s Prayer can become a sort of catch all talisman, like it has some power when spoken out.  

‘Your Kingdom come and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.’

I do hope you are among the many thousands across the world engaging with the ‘Thy Kingdom Come’ initiative and praying for five not yet Christian’s to come to a living faith in Jesus.

But more than that can I invite you to really reflect on what it might mean if this prayer was to be realised in your life, in the life of your Church, in the life of your community, at work and across the world.

Those of you who have joined the Rugby Group of the Prison Fellowship for our monthly prayer gathering will know that I change the wording of the Lord’s Prayer.  Praying ‘on earth’ important as that is, can become a tad vague, and so to give it a bite I invite us to pray, ‘Your Kingdom come and your will be done in prisons as in heaven.’  

Can I invite you, nay challenge you, to say the Lord’s Prayer with this ‘bite.’.

‘Your Kingdom come in my life, in the life of my family, in the life of five people for whom I have a particular concern. Your Kingdom come in my local council as it meets this week, in parliament and across the world.

And then allow yourself to dream, to imagine and to reflect on what that might look like to see God’s Kingdom come upon earth and for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven.

And then from praying to action, taking Saint Augustine’s words to heart who said: 'Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on you.'

And as you kneel in prayer and then rise to action let this song minister deep within your heart and soul...

https://youtu.be/1guKNXwbE2I?si=QXlIzoCmRa81ucCp

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

'Fixing our eyes on King Jesus' - Transcript of sermon St Andrews Shilton 10th May 2026

 

St Andrews’ Shilton 6^th Sunday after Easter

Acts 17: 22-31 & John 14: 15-21

On 8 September 2022, King Charles III became the UK's monarch upon the death of Queen Elizabeth 11. The coronation of Charles III and his wife, Camilla, as king and queen of the United Kingdom took place eight months later Saturday, 6 May 2023,

Next Thursday, May 14^th is Ascension Day. Somewhat regrettably this Feast often suffers neglect and a misunderstanding of its importance.

Partly I think that is because we have taken and embraced a triple decker world view, heaven above, earth in the middle and hell below.

Jesus, having lived on earth, died, spent a very brief time in hell, before rising and then ascending into heaven.  Very often spatially located somewhere up above the sky and the clouds.

Ascension is often thought of as Jesus going up into the sky and often portrayed this way in art and sculpture.

But people have been in that space and there is no sign of what we might call heaven.

However, if we take the concept of Charles 111 ascending the throne and being crowned we might be getting closer to a better understanding and the importance of this event.

The predominant ruling power at the time of Jesus’ earthy ministry was Rome. And it was Rome’s representative that had Jesus crucified and placed above his head, ‘The King of the Jews.’

The Ascension is Jesus coming in the clouds of glory, as spoken of in Daniel 7:13-14, to take his place and sit down at the right hand of God and receive all power and authority both in the earthly realm (our reality) and the heavenly realm. (God’s reality)

“Again, the high priest questioned Him, “Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?” “I am,” said Jesus, “and you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power and coming with the clouds of heaven.”

Mark 14.62

Jesus’ death, resurrection and ascension are all part of a royal proclamation that Jesus is Lord of heaven and earth, and the dawn of a new creation has begun.

Now it may not feel or even look like Jesus is Lord and that a new creation has begun. That is because it is both now and not yet. In technical terms that is called inaugural eschatology.

The people of Athen’s didn’t consider that a new creation had dawned and that Jesus was Lord of Heaven and earth. For them there was a whole panoply of gods, and just in case, they had an altar to an unknow god, to hedge their bets as you might say. Walking around the city Paul notices this amongst all the many other temples and shrines.

And listen to what Paul declares to them in verses 24 of our Acts reading..

 “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands.”

Remember the occasion when Jesus’ disciples were waxing lyrical about the marvel of the temple in Jerusalem, such big stones, they said. However, Jesus warned them that a time was coming when there wouldn’t be one stone left upon another.

Jesus then went on to say, ‘destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up again.’ It was only later that they realised this referenced Jesus personified the Temple in Jerusalem, the heaven and earth space.

When the first temple was built, under Solomon, during the dedication of that temple the Shekinah glory of God descended and filled the temple.

In our Gospel reading we hear of Jesus promising that if we abide in him, then we too will receive that very same Spirit.

That we will not be abandoned as orphans, that through the Spirit we will know God and know him as Lord of heaven and earth, the creator and sustainer of all things.

Know that despite all the crazy things going on in the world right now, or indeed all the crazy things in the world that have happened throughout history, that it is all leading to a new heaven and earth reality. A heaven and earth reality that has already broken into the world in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.

A heaven and earth reality now manifest in God’s people, the Church, you and me. We are signposts pointing towards the reality of this new creation.

We are those who out of our love for God obey all the commands which Jesus summarised as loving God and loving your neighbour as yourself.

But how, you might ask, do I remain as a faithful signpost in a sea of trouble, a light in the darkness.

Remember the story of Jesus walking on the water whilst a storm raged. Remember the story of how Peter, wonderful impetuous Peter, takes that step of faith and steps out of the boat. And it is only when he takes his eyes of Jesus and looks at the storm that his faith falters and he begins to sink.

But notice, but notice, but notice - when he stepped out in faith the storm kept howling around his head, the storm didn’t stop.

And yes, we are facing some fearsome storms right now, and you might also be facing some of your own storms as well, personal storms raging in your life.

Anchoring our hearts and minds in the Scriptures in one good way of remaining steadfast in the storms that assail us.

Like these wonderful words from Hebrews 12.1-2, words that are very dear to me as someone who loves running.

‘Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.’

Take especial note of the call to fix our eyes on Jesus – that was when Peter’s faith failed him and he began to sink.

One of the ways to help someone having a panic attack is to ask them to focus on you - “look at me, look at me, now breathe, in and out, in and out.”

Jesus says to us in our pain, hurt and confusion - "look at me, look at me, now breathe."

Let me ask this question, do you find yourself focussing on the storm, catastrophising, or are your eyes fixed upon Jesus?

From our Gospel this morning and verse 16 & 17;

Jesus said…

^“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.”

The world that lives in disobedience to God and certainly does not keep any of God’s commands, but lives to its own power and authority, will not be able to accept God because it means relinquishing their own power and grand ideas about how the world should be run and operated.

As God’s people, who are abiding in God and keeping our eyes firmly fixed upon Jesus, we will know the Spirit of truth, we will know God’s presence and not be left or abandoned as orphans.

We can be as a light in the darkness and hope in the despair, signpost to God’s new creation, carriers of God’s Kingdom come upon earth, filled with very presence of God through the promised Holy Spirit.

Let us pray;

O Saviour Christ, in whose way of love lays the secret of all life, and the hope of all people, we pray for quiet courage to match this hour. We did not choose to be born or live in such an age; but let its problems challenge us, its discoveries exhilarate us, its injustices anger us, its possibilities inspire us, and its vigour renew us. Pour out upon us a fresh indwelling of the Holy Spirit; make us bold and courageous in sharing faith in both word and deed for your Kingdom’s sake we ask.

 

                https://youtu.be/E_nLERH27dM?si=WBcIPGffCI4YRPiL 

 

 

 

 

 

 

'Running with perseverance' - Weekly Reflection 2nd May 2026

On Saturday last (1^st May) I went out for a run.  I have been running for 48 years now, not very fast or very far. After completing the London Marathon in 1983 I knew that running a full marathon was to much of a stretch for me and settled into running half marathons.

They provide enough of a challenge without a massive overreach.  My ten-mile run on Saturday took me 2:00:41. That is slower than the winner of this year’s London Marathon, covering 26 miles. And not one, but two athletes broke the two-hour barrier.  Sawe came in at 1:59:30 and Kejelcha came in at 1:59:41. Remarkably in 1908 Johnny Hayes broke the three-hour barrier at 2:55:18. The massive development in training, nutrition, understanding biology and shoe technology have made what at one time seemed impossible, possible.

It will probably come as no surprise that one my favourite Bible verse is Hebrews 12:1-3.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Today in Church we had a young family visiting us. Mum was currently following the training programme ‘Couch to 5k.’ Couch to 5K is a simple, free running plan for absolute beginners endorsed by the NHS. The plan has you running 3 times a week, with rest days in between and a fresh schedule to follow each week.

By the end, people should be able to run 5K with confidence, no matter their starting fitness level or when they last exercised. Couch to 5K was created by a new runner, Josh Clark, who wanted to help his 50-something mum get off the couch and start running too!

I checked myself from saying that for 5K is hardly worth the effort of putting on the trainers! Unless I am seriously out of sorts running three miles takes very little effort. But that is because I have been running since 1978 and my body is used to this.  In the same way for those who do run incredible distances and at an unbelievable pace, they can do so because of training.

When writing to the Corinthains Paul obviously had the Greek Athletic Games in mind when he wrote….

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way as to take the prize. Everyone who competes in the game’s trains with strict discipline. They do it for a crown that is perishable, but we do it for a crown that is imperishable. Therefore, I do not run aimlessly; I do not fight like I am beating the air.… 1 Cor.9.24-26

A question for us to ponder. How good are we at embracing a ‘strict discipline’ when it comes to living the life of the Faith?  How much time do we spend taking a deep dive into the Scripture’s? How much time do we spend in prayer and how much time do we spend with other ‘athletes’ encouraging each other, especially those who have just got off the couch and recently embraced the Christian faith?

Today at St Oswald’s was our first All Age Worship since our Vicars, Alan and Jane retired and we moved into vacancy.  Appropriately we focussed on the calling of Jeremiah. See Jeremiah 1:4ff.

We reflected together that God knows us and loves us, that we are all called to serve God by serving each other, that God calls and equips and gives us all we need to do what God is asking us to do, and that God is always with us and will not leave us.

Back to the young family visiting us this morning and dad wasn’t a runner but keen on sports, in particular football. Shifting the focus from running to football reminds of a comment made some years ago, that our Churches often look a bit like a football match, several thousands of people in need of exercise watching twenty-two people in need of a rest!

Have you heard the story of four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody and Nobody.

There was an important job to be done, and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it. Somebody got angry about that, because it was Everybody’s job. Everybody thought Anybody could do it, but Nobody realised that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”  Jeremiah 1:5

Okay, you may not be called to be a prophet to the nations, but we all have unique calling, we all have a special gifting, we all have a part to play.

Michel Quoist in his book ‘The Christian Response’ writes, ‘You are a unique and irreplaceable actor in the drama of human history, and Jesus Christ has need of you to make known his salvific work present in this particular place, at this particular moment in history.’

Attributed to Augustine of Hippo is the phrase “Without God, we cannot. Without us, God will not.”

Think about that for a moment. If that be true, then by our not running the race set before us and designed especially for us, we are in danger of frustrating the plans of God for the redemption of the cosmos.

Now, where are my trainers!

https://youtu.be/HzP6Mx3CiMM?si=8LC1iPZx2pI2z_Zt