'Counting Heads' - Reflection Sunday 29th December 2024

Counting Heads

‘In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.’

Words that I am pretty certain you will have heard over the last week, maybe even more than once!

(And despite the popular image Mary is most unlikely to have ridden on a donkey, but possibly a donkey cart, maybe one made by Joseph!)

Much scholarly debate still surrounds this ‘orderly’ account found in Luke’s Gospel.

For some, who say there is no evidence of such a census, then question the veracity of the birth narratives with some going further to denounce the whole Jesus story as myth.

I will let you explore that for yourself as I want to reflect on the idea of a census, and its importance in the Scriptural narrative.  

Taking a census is an interesting thread throughout the Old Testament. At times it appears to be in response to a command from God, but at other times, especially later, it represents a darker motive and brings retribution.

In addition to the two military censuses in Numbers, a special numbering of the Levites was also performed. Rather than carry out military duties, these men were priests who served in the tabernacle. In Numbers 3:15 they were instructed to list every male who was 1 month old or older. The tally came to 22,000. In Numbers 4:46–48 Moses and Aaron listed all of the men between the ages of 30 and 50 who were eligible for service in the Tabernacle and transporting it, with the number counted being 8,580.

Near the end of his reign, King David commissioned his military leaders to conduct a census of the tribes of Israel from Dan to Beersheba. David's commander, Joab, was reluctant to fulfil the king's command knowing the census violated God's command. This is recorded in 2 Samuel 24:1-2.

While it's not explicit in Scripture, David's motivation for the census seemed to be rooted in pride and self-reliance. Although David eventually repented of his sin, God insisted on a punishment, letting David chose between seven years of famine, three months of fleeing from enemies, or three days of severe plague. David chose the plague, in which 70,000 men died. (For more on this check out this podcast from The Bible Project - The Mountain E6: David, the Failed Intercessor on Mount Zion)

There are echoes here of Gideon’s army being reduced in size so that he couldn’t boast in his strength. (See Judges 7 for the key part of this story)

We are about to step into a new year, 2025. It is a good time to take stock.  However, as we move on into the year, we do well to heed these words of Scripture from Zechariah 4.6, ‘Then he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts.’

And may Psalm 115.1 be our watchword in everything we do in 2025, everything!

‘Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to Your name be the glory, because of Your loving devotion, because of Your faithfulness.’

2025

                                                      

 Let us follow Jesus into 2025 who asks us, will you come and follow me?

                                  https://youtu.be/eAYM8pWCwWk?si=TqUuC1UzIL5prj9o

'All Dressed Up for Christmass.' Transcript of sermon Midmight Communion 2024

 

Midnight Communion 2024

Matthew 1: 18-25

Doesn’t it strike you as rather odd that here we are, in Church at 11.45?

Isn’t it very peculiar that we seek to keep the place clean and yet at this time of year, here and in many of our homes we set up a tree like this one. And then, for good measure, add all sorts of lights and baubles on it. If you think about it, it is absurd. A house plant or a vase of flowers, yes, but a whole tree!

Now I know the story of its Germanic pagan origins, and Luther adding the lights, and Queen Charlotte, Prince Albert and Queen Victoria popularising the tradition, but it still strikes me as a rather odd thing to do.

And then having been rightly warning our children about stranger danger we are okay with a man in a red suit and a big beard coming into our homes because he leaves presents. 

And I am treading carefully here because we have yet another story of a well-meaning vicar who has burst the Santa Clause bubble for a class of school children this year.

This rather odd but much-loved character derives from St Nicholas Bishop of Myra, in the 4^th century and who remains a bit of mystery.  St Nicholas, in Dutch, Santa Claus, morphed into this fat jolly fellow and then becomes donned in red in Coca-Cola’s ad campaign.

And all of this, all of this is centred around a baby born in some obscure Roman province over two millennia ago. Although sometimes it is hard to see the connection.

And consider that for a moment – over two thousand years.

Think about all that has happened in that time. All the developments, for good and ill. All the wars and torment. All the rampaging diseases. All the love and cruelty. So much, so much, so very much.

And this baby is heralded as The Prince of Peace, yet that peace still appears to be as allusive as ever.

Maybe, just maybe, it is because as the carol ‘It Came Upon a Midnight Clear’ declares we have failed to heed and fully engage with the message that this baby brought to us when he became grown to man.

Yet with the woes of sin and strife
The world has suffered long;
Beneath the angel strain have rolled
Two thousand years of wrong;
And man, at war with man, hears not
The love-song which they bring;
Oh, hush the noise, ye men of strife
And hear the angels sing.

And then we have the Nativity Set and all the wonderful school productions when putting on a dressing gown and a tea towel on your head is absolutely fine.

For this we must thank St Francis of Assisi who was the first to set up a live nativity in the town of Greccio, Italy in 1223.

I think we all know that the nativity scene such as this owes more to Francis’ creative imagination and later embellishments than to the birth narratives in Scripture.

Now you may be wondering where I am going with all these ponderings and questioning and puzzling.

Well, I hope to get us to think about these things and puzzle over them and ask questions and, hopefully with a smile, note the apparent absurdity of some of our Christmass traditions.

And then I like to invite you on a journey.

Out and beyond December 25^th.

And our first stop will be the 26^th December.

For the day commonly known as Boxing Day is actually St Stephen’s Day. Yes, as in the one about good king Wenceslas who looked out on the Feast of Stephen.

Stephen is what is known as the proto martyr. That is, he was the first person to die rather than deny the life and teaching of Jesus. Yes, the same one that’s lying in a manager, born of Mary.

And it didn’t stop there, nor has it.

Therefore, I invite you beyond the 25^th December and even beyond Stephen’s martyrdom.

I invite you onto a journey as we, as a Christian Faith Community, turn our steps from crib to cross, from birth to death.

‘And a sword will pierce your own soul’, Mary was told when she presented the infant Jesus in the temple.

And yet the story doesn’t end there.  It doesn’t even end at Easter or at the Ascension.

The story continues and you and I are invited to step into the story and become part of this great narrative. To sing this great Song of Salvation. A song that continues to unfold with myriad voices joining in the songs of the angel and the archangels and the whole company of heaven and all of God’s people across the world.

However, there are two refrains which you can sing…

O come let us adore him, O come let us adore him, Christ the Lord!

Or we could sing, 

O come let us ignore him, O come let us ignore him, O come let us ignore him, Christ the Lord!

On that, let me close off with some words from the Letter to the Hebrews chapter 2 as written in The Message version.

It's crucial that we keep a firm grip on what we've heard so that we don't drift off. If the old message delivered by the angels was valid and nobody got away with anything, do you think we can risk neglecting this latest message, this magnificent salvation? First of all, it was delivered in person by the Master, then accurately passed on to us by those who heard it from him.  All the while God was validating it with gifts through the Holy Spirit, all sorts of signs and miracles, as he saw fit.

Ignore Christ the Lord or invite Him into your life – it’s your choice.

However, because of that first Christmass you can start over and begin a new day....

https://youtu.be/LhDpp4iz2dQ?si=Ul5JzgnEU_0pAt-P

'Christmass through the ages.' Reflection 22nd December 2024

 Jane and I recently visited Charlecote House, Packwood House and Badesley Clinton. Each house was dressed for Christmass, Charlecote was Tudor, Badesley Clinton was Victorian and Packwood House was the 1920's.

It was fascinating to reflect on the changes and the ‘mood’ of the time. For the Tudors it was very much a religious festival with an emphasis on feasting and celebration.  The Victorian’s brought many of the Christmass traditions we know today with a greater focus on the family. It was a picture of the Royal Family around a Christmass tree that boosted that idea.  The perfect family, the perfect food, making for the perfect celebration. Gift giving increased and Christmass cards and crackers also became a common feature.  All this very much influenced by Charles Dicken’s and ‘The Christmass Carol.’  In the 1920’s it was all glitz and glam as war time austerity gave way to a boom period and a lot of the ‘stuffy old ways’ were cast off. 

I wonder what might be said of our time?

Certainly, the Christian emphasis has declined.  I remember going to a Christmass Service in HMP Stafford. They were always splendid occasions, and such was their popularity they had to run two Services.  One time there was a sketch where a newspaper reporter was dispatched because there was news of a special baby that was going to be born. Enter, Mary and Joseph, yes, both male prisoners!  Then as the photographer lined them up he said, “no something is missing. We need a bit more atmosphere.” Some animals were brought in, again men dressed up.  And it continued as the photographer brought on more and more people and more and props and things, presents, Christmass tree.  As all this was happening, Mary, Joseph and the baby were being obscured and couldn’t been seen anymore. At this the photographer said, “right, now that’s the perfect Christmass picture.” 

It was a very powerful message and sadly one that holds true as the focus on the birth of the Christ child shifts more towards the gift giving and the ‘illusion’ of what makes for the perfect Christmass.  

Gordon Bailey put it well in a simple line…

Christmas/sacred or Christ/massacred – it depends on where you draw the line!

That is the reason you will notice I always spell Christmass with two ss at the end. (I have taught my spell checker to accept this.) Remembering that the name ‘mass’ comes from the Latin word missa. In Latin the Mass ended with Ite missa est which translated into English means “Go, it is sent,” the “it” being the Church. The Mass gets its name from the liturgical dismissal at its conclusion.

This is then linked to Missio Dei , a Latin Christian theological term that can be translated as the "mission of God", or the "sending of God".

Christ Mass – Christmass sums this up perfectly – Jesus the God sent one.

And I also find people occasionally question why I have spelled Christmass incorrectly, which gives an opportunity to explain. Christmass is God’s Mission in sending the Saviour who comes to bring reconciliation of all things.

However, for that to be realised we must follow the Missio Dei from the Child in the Crib to the Christ on the Cross. The crib and cross are inextricably linked. It may be a tad controversial, but I would argue that ‘baby’ Jesus does not bring peace or even salvation. Baby Jesus could only do what all babies do!  We have to allow him to grow up, watch him do the things he did and heed the words he says and the message he brings.

        Thorns and straw go together....

https://youtu.be/uzNOKLuKjsM?si=fNHsHxAVqAKYHmge

 

'A Life on Show' - Reflection 15th December 2024

 One of the current concerns in the UK at the moment is the increased use of facial recognition cameras. Speaking personally, I am a bit ambivalent and think that if you have nothing to hide, then what’s the issue.  Of course, in places like China or Russia it would be very different. And of course, for those who go into prison regularly photo ID is par for the course.

Today is the Third Sunday of Advent when ‘traditionally’ we think of John the Baptist as we did at St Oswald’s this morning.

John’s mission can be summarised by a simple phrase of, ‘someone who points to Jesus.’

John 1:29

 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

Interestingly on the last two Sunday’s I have had someone comment on the way I engage with sung worship and prayers during our Morning Worship. I wasn’t aware of doing anything ‘special’ but obviously I had caught a couple of people’s eyes and brought them encouragement.

Today, as we explored John the Baptist (to be correct that should be John the Baptizer) we considered Luke 3.1-18.  We were invited to notice John’s message, certainly brusque and blunt and yet bearing something important to note.

First there is the call to repent.  Repentance here is something akin to Zacchaeus change of heart. I am also reminded of the Grinch, much beloved by our grandchildren. He had to change and have his heart ‘enlarged.’  Also, Dicken’s ‘Christmass Carol.’ We had a real treat last week when we went to Rugby Theatre to see a brilliant  performance. Then there is an excellent modern rendition of The Christmass Carol with Ross Kemp playing the part of Scrooge as a modern-day money lender in a deprived area of London. Produced in 2000 it is just a tad dated but is still very moving and forms part of our 'annual Christmass watch.' . A key element in this adaptation is that Scrooge after his ‘visits’ think he can make amends by using money.   He must learn to repent, to have a total change of heart and then that is followed by financial recompense.  It is a beautiful and poignant story told in this way.  

Thus, John declares, ‘Bear fruits worthy of repentance.’

That’s the second thing to notice. Our repentance leads to ‘fruitfulness.’  

And John goes on to lay out what that fruitfulness might look like by referencing what many of Israel’s prophets had said in ages past.

There must be a care for the poor and the marginalised.  If we hold onto more than ‘our daily bread’ we might be denying someone else of getting their own daily bread by our greed and fear of scarcity.

And tax collectors, (was one of these Zacchaeus who continued to chew over John’s message?) - well they must stick to the rules and be honest. Practically that might mean a serious reduction in income.

Then the soldiers, ‘what must we do?”  From John’s answer to them we learn we must not abuse our power and authority.

Some might think that pointing people to Jesus means a verbal declaration. And of course, it does mean that, but also so much more. “I can’t hear what you are saying because your actions are getting in the way.”

Everything we do, say or are, every word, every action, if we are seeking to be true apprentices to Jesus, will point to him and not to us. We follow Jesus, to become like Jesus and do the things that Jesus did.

^“He must become greater; I must become less.”  John 3.30

In summary:

a) Repentance

b) Fruitfulness

c) Stick to the rules

d) Do not abuse power and authority

During the upcoming Christmass season we will probably be engaging with a whole raft of people, family, friends and even visitors to some of our activities at Church.

As we reflect on John the Baptist, and heed his message, we could use the above as a sort of check list on how well we are doing in pointing people towards Jesus and away from ourselves. And like our friend Zaccheaus, that all begins with repentance - but by no means ends there!  

 

 

 

'Any color - as long as it's black!' Weekly Reflection - 8th December 2024

I was in a local garage recently booking in my car for an MOT and Service. As I waited I was casting my eyes over an array of vehicles they had for sale posted on their notice board. A far cry from the Model T Ford which you could get in any colour as long it was black!  

How are you with choices?  I am not a huge fan of making choices in most cases.  I remember a nun who was asked about wearing her habit all the time.  She said, she liked it, it saved her having to think about what to wear every day.  When I was active in ministry I followed a similar pattern and when I was ‘on-duty’ I would nearly always wear something with Church Army on it.  (That also helped our children who got to know that if I wasn’t wearing CA clothing, then I was off duty.)  Retirement has been a challenge, and I confess to having arranged my T shirts into six piles, mixed colours, black, white and polo shirts. 

Each day is demarked, and I simply pick up the ‘shirt of the day’ and match it with other items. 

And it has been fascinating watching our grandchildren James and William be invited to make more and more choices, moving from when every choice was made for them.   

Making choices is something we do instinctively every moment of every day.  Some choices are almost trivial, and others have consequences that are far reaching.

At a junction on the Alaskan highway is a sign which reads ‘Choose your rut carefully, you will be in it for the next 50 miles’.

Or this choice, ‘Then the LORD God took the man and placed him in the Garden of Eden to cultivate and keep it. And the LORD God commanded him, “You may eat freely from every tree of the garden, but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; for in the day that you eat of it, you will surely die.”

To enable me to get on with my day without over thinking about what I am going to wear I have developed a system. It’s not rigid, I don’t freak out if I swop things around occasionally. (I know for some people patterns like this are an absolute essential to enable them to function.)

If we were to stop and analyse every choice which we made we wouldn’t be able to function very well.  Therefore, we need to cultivate a system or a habit of making the best choices.  How do we line up what is the best choices?  Well, I would suggest that the ‘Golden Commandments’ would give us a good steer.

 ^‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

With this as a base line we can ask about the choices we make, is this life affirming, will it bring about flourishing and fruitfulness, will this choice help my neighbour (and we all know who our neighbour is!).

And the good news is that if we have made bad choices, even choices that are as bad as you can imagine, there is redemption, there is a way back, a fresh start and an opportunity for restoration.

I like to imagine Zacheus after his ‘repentance’ had several invitations to a meal from those whom he had robbed and cheated.  He had learned the value of making better choices.

Like a stone thrown in a pond, every choice we make ripples out and affects others.  And you know, that could be as simple at not smiling at someone or being grumpy.  When I ran Church Tent’s at County Shows I used to say to the volunteers, if it all gets too much and you feel tired and a maybe a bit grumpy, please take five, go for a walk, or go and sit in my caravan for a while.   

As much as lies within us as Jesus’s apprentices, let us endeavour to make the best possible choices we can. Choices that bring light and life, hope and joy.

'Keeping God's Image Safe' - Weekly Reflection 1st December 2024

 Last week I invited you to reflect on how you would answer this question below that was set as part of a Safeguarding Course.  Below is how I answered this question.

1. Identity: What has influenced your values and beliefs with regards to safeguarding?  Please identify one thing that reflects what has influenced your individual connection with safeguarding and underpins your values and beliefs. This might be an abstract conceptualisation linked to song lyrics, nature, or literature, or may be informed by your own theology, religious scripture, or teachings. I would ask that you come to this session prepared to share what’s influenced you and explore how this has informed your responses, values, and beliefs regarding safeguarding. 

It is the custom at St Oswald’s when preaching to also cover a short Children’s Spot before they go out to their groups. On one occasion I asked the children what they thought some of the most precious things in the world were. I then showed them a nice small wooden box and told them inside the box they would see something that God considers to be very precious. I then allowed them one at a time to look in the box. Inside the box – a mirror.

The Imago Dei – Genesis 1.27 ‘So God created humans in his image. In the image of God, he created them. He created them male and female.’

Link this in with Psalm 139...

For you created my inmost being;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,
    I know that full well.

  My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.

Add in a famous quote attributed to Irenaeus is “the glory of God is man fully alive.” 

Plus, from the Rule of St Benedict.

All guests who present themselves are to be welcomed as Christ, for he himself will say: “I was a stranger, and you welcomed me” (Matt.25:35). Proper honour must be shown “to all, especially to those who share our faith” (Gal. 6:10) and to pilgrims.

And finally reflect on this meditation from Pope Benedict XV1.

And only where God is seen does life truly begin.

Only when we meet the living God in Christ do we know what life is.

We are not some casual and meaningless product of evolution.

Each of us is the result of a thought of God.

Each of us is willed.

Each of us is necessary.

There is nothing more beautiful than to be surprised by the Gospel,

    by the encounter with Christ.

There is nothing more beautiful than to know Him

    and to speak to others of our friendship with Him.

 On the best of my days, the best of me holds all this as I encounter people.

Holding all of this in mind informs me that I must do all I can to ensure the wellbeing, the safety and the flourishing of everyone, including myself.   However, not to the point of naivety, where I am unable to recognise that beautiful and precious as we all may be in the sight of God, yet we are damaged, broken and despoiled.  I love the TV programme ‘The Repair Shop.’  Precious items are brought to ‘The Repair Shop’ to be lovingly restored back to their former glory.  

A safeguarding task is to seek to ensure that ‘unnecessary damage’ is not caused to God’s precious children (of all ages!).   And it gives me hope, that although all the kings’ horses and men couldn’t put Humpty Dumpty back together again, there is King, and he has men and women who can put people back together again. And I might add, seek to ensure that the wall is a safe as we can possibly make it with regular inspections.