A different kind of ‘Reflection’ this week as I want to invite you to check out the reflection in the link below.
On Thursday last I joined the small group who meet at St
Andrew’s Rugby to discuss the Gospel reading upcoming for the next Sunday, set
according to the RCL. (Revised Common Lectionary)
The Gospel reading was from Mark (the ‘‘principal’’ Gospel
for this year) – Mark 5: 21-43.
This one of Mark’s sandwiches (intercalation) – a story
within a story that gives us a bigger story than just two stories!
The story is of the women who have suffered with an issue of
blood for twelve years and a young twelve-year-old girl dying prematurely, the
daughter of Jairus a Synagogue leader.
As you will have picked up, I have been engaging recently with 'The Welcome Directory.' We have had three evening 'training sessions' on Zoom exploring what it means to welcome those stepping out of prison. (https://www.welcomedirectory.org.uk/) St Oswald's, Rugby is signed up to the Welcome Directory as a Faith Community that would welcome anyone being released from prison.
The obvious link here is the story of restoration into the community. Which it would appear, if you think about it, why Jesus took what seems a rather odd step of calling out the woman who touched his cloak. She should not have been there, but in calling her out and declaring her clean, Jesus is saying to the community that she can now be welcomed back into the community as healed of her impurity.
The only other point I would want to make about these stories
is that of interruption. How good are we
at being interrupted and turning aside for our schedule
Dietrich Bonhoeffer writes in Life Together;
‘We must be ready to allow ourselves to be interrupted by God. God will be constantly crossing our paths and cancelling our plans by sending us people with claims and petitions. We may pass them by, preoccupied with our more important tasks. . . . It is a strange fact that Christians and even ministers frequently consider their work so important and urgent that they will allow nothing to disturb them. They think they are doing God a service in this, but actually they are disdaining God’s “crooked yet straight path.”
I hope you enjoy reading this reflection as much as I did.
May our song always be that all are welcome in this place....
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