Easter, 20 April

He is risen, Alleluia!

He is risen indeed, alleluia, alleluia!

The effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust for ever. Isaiah 32:17

‘I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live! John 11:25

If anyone is devout and a lover of God, let them enjoy this beautiful and radiant festival.

If anyone is a grateful servant, let them, rejoicing, enter into the joy of his Lord.

If anyone has wearied themselves in fasting, let them now receive recompense.

If anyone has labored from the first hour, let them today receive the just reward.

If anyone has come at the third hour, with thanksgiving let them feast.

If anyone has arrived at the sixth hour, let them have no misgivings; for they shall suffer no loss.

If anyone has delayed until the ninth hour, let them draw near without hesitation.

If anyone has arrived even at the eleventh hour, let them not fear on account of tardiness.

For the Master is gracious and receives the last even as the first; He gives rest to him that comes at the eleventh hour, just as to him who has labored from the first.

He has mercy upon the last and cares for the first; to the one He gives, and to the other He is gracious.

He both honors the work and praises the intention.

Enter all of you, therefore, into the joy of our Lord, and, whether first or last, receive your reward.

O rich and poor, one with another, dance for joy!

O you ascetics and you negligent, celebrate the day!

You that have fasted and you that have disregarded the fast, rejoice today!

The table is rich-laden: feast royally, all of you!

The calf is fatted: let no one go forth hungry!

Let all partake of the feast of faith. Let all receive the riches of goodness.

Let no one lament their poverty, for the universal kingdom has been revealed.

Let no one mourn their transgressions, for pardon has dawned from the grave.

Let no one fear death, for the Saviour's death has set us free.

He that was taken by death has annihilated it!

He descended into Hades and took Hades captive!

He embittered it when it tasted His flesh! And anticipating this, Isaiah exclaimed: "Hades was embittered when it encountered Thee in the lower regions".

It was embittered, for it was abolished!

It was embittered, for it was mocked!

It was embittered, for it was purged!

It was embittered, for it was despoiled!

It was embittered, for it was bound in chains!

It took a body and came upon God!

It took earth and encountered Ηeaven!

It took what it saw, but crumbled before what it had not seen!

O death, where is thy sting?

O Hades, where is thy victory?

Christ is risen, and you are overthrown!

Christ is risen, and the demons are fallen!

Christ is risen, and the angels rejoice!

Christ is risen, and life reigns!

Christ is risen, and not one dead remains in a tomb!

For Christ, being raised from the dead, has become the first-fruits of them that have slept.

To Him be glory and might unto the ages of ages. Amen.

St John Chrysostom 

Holy Saturday, 19 April

Proclaim further: Thus says the Lord of hosts: My cities shall again overflow with prosperity; the Lord will again comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem. Zechariah 1:17

So you have pain now; but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.The Prophecy about to be fulfilled and a promise of a great joy the coming of God’s kingdom. 
John 16:22

This is a message of warning then of hope the feeling of sorrow – then a great joy.

The death of Jesus must be included in his going away. Naturally his disciples would be devastated at not seeing him again. Nevertheless, Christ’s work to save was complete and perfect.

It brings us the joys of salvation and reconciliation with God and an ultimate joy that can never be taken away. This is the gift to everyone in faith. The sorrow could not be avoided it was necessary for this great joy. By leaving at his death then again at his ascension our eternal salvation depended on it.

It is the greatest joy to know that the presence of Jesus is always with us throughout our lives.

Father, help me to overcome my fears about your absence. Grant that I may know that you are with me always, no matter how I feel.

Steve Cheshire

St Clement’s 

Good Friday, 18 April

For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call on you. Psalm 86:5

Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, ‘Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.’ Having said this, he breathed his last. Luke 23:46

It is finished. We are at the end of a long journey. We began this journey on Ash Wednesday forty-five days ago. Jesus is at the end of his journey. Despite his pain Jesus is still remembering God’s steadfast love - the love which listens even in our darkest hour.

There is very little to offer in this time of grief than listening. Knowing that someone is there, someone who cares to listen - even if we don’t have anything to say - can give hope in this place.

We can know that God cares. That God holds us and is listening even though we might not realise it.

Gracious and loving God, let me know that in times of joy and sorrow you are at my side, listening. Grant me to know you as the gentle listener, who will hold me in my grief. Amen

James Grant

St Werburgh’s & St Clement’s

Maundy Thursday, April 17

The poor and the helpless have fled to you and have been safe in times of trouble. You give them shelter from storms and shade from the burning heat. Cruel enemies attack like a winter storm

Isaiah 25:4

I have told you this so that you will have peace by being united to me. The world will make you suffer. But be brave! I have defeated the world!”  John 16:33

Jesus once famously said that the poor will always be with us; the Psalmist shows how the poor and the helpless flee to God for protection.  Pope Francis has made the poor a central concern of his ministry as pope – he talks about a Church of and for the poor.  This is a challenging concept for many and good news for many more! 

I was recently challenged by a good friend about how we speak about the poor as if they are not part of us when, the reality is, as Jesus said, the poor are always with us.  In each of our congregations there are poor people – we may not know that folk are poor, struggling on ever decreasing benefits, subjected to the Bedroom Tax, or living on poverty level wages.  We may not realise that some of the folk in our congregations are asylum seekers forbidden to work and, if they are lucky, given a meagre benefit way below what an unemployed person can claim.  Whether we’re aware or not are churches are, increasingly, made up of the poor as well as those who are better off. 

Nationally the churches have been very good at speaking out about how the poor and the migrant are treated – yet the press and politicians then criticise the Church for speaking out.  Yet we should not be upset if we’re criticised by press and politics – after all we know more about the reality of our communities than many of those who criticise us.  The Church is one of the few places where poor people and the not so poor can mix, can share their experiences and work out what the Good News is for us in our own contexts.

God of the poor,

Help us to be attentive to what you are doing in our midst,

Help us to be aware of the Church you are building,

Of the people you draw to yourself,

Help us to learn from each other

And to build a Church which truly reflects

Our community – in our riches, in our poverty,

In our sufferings, and in our joy.

Amen.

Andy Braunston

The Metropolitan Church

Holy Wednesday, 16 April

Exodus 13:21  The LORD went in front of them in a pillar of cloud by day, to lead them along the way, and in a pillar of fire by night, to give them light, so that they might travel by day and by night.

John 8:12: Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.”

As a child I used to love attending the Good Friday liturgy held in my local, Catholic, Church.  The climax of this liturgy, for me, was the reading of an ancient poem called the “Reproaches” where the poet, in the voice of God, contrasts how God has treated His people and how we, in return, have treated God.  One of the laments remarks that God led His people dry shod through the sea when they escaped Egypt but now we have led him to Pilate’s court.  As we journey through Holy Week we reflect on how Jesus, the Light of the World, was plunged into darkness.  We reflect on his despair on the cross when he cried out as he felt God had turned his back on him, and we reflect on the times in our lives when we feel desolate and are tempted to despair.  We know that Jesus’ journey does not end on Good Friday – neither does ours. 

Lord Jesus, help us when we are tempted to despair.

Help us to hold on to your love for us,

Lift our spirits, and help us live in the light of your love.

Amen.

Lee Battle,

Wilbraham St Ninian’s

Holy Tuesday, 15 April

These all look to you / to give them their food in due season;

when you give to them, they gather it up; /when you open your hand, they are filled with good things. Psalm 104:27-28

There they continued proclaiming the good news. Acts 14:7

The place where I work is in the middle of nowhere, in the countryside. There is a lot of wildlife running around the place, ducks, squirrels, pheasants and even the odd mink has been sighted. We often see them scurrying around searching for food and look at the animals, but we forget the significance of what they are actually doing, looking for food and that they are finding it. God has ordered the world so that they would have food to find, their task is to find it.

Our God, who provides for the lowliest of creatures in the world, so too provides for us with all the complexity of our lives and our needs.

In our lives we can often go through bad periods, times of hardship and stress, and can lose sight of God’s role in the ordering of the world and our lives. It can be instinctive to focus on our immediate challenges and forget the spiritual aspect of our situations, we can abandon God like a viewer walking out of a cinema when they are bored with the first 10 minutes of a film, we focus on our own needs and forget that God has promised to fulfil our needs and answer our prayers.

When those we know are going through hard times, we have to be ready to share our faith simply, to reassure that God will find solutions to our problems and that he understands our needs and situations.

Loving God, as we are reminded of the beauty of the world, the glory of nature and the wonder of our landscapes, help us to remember that we too are a part of this world

You make us as wonderfully complex and beautiful people in your image and you are at the centre of our lives, even when we do not recognise it.

Help us to observe your hand at work in the world, and to savour and celebrate your love for us not only during the special times when we are especially aware of your presence but during the most ordinary of days as well.

When we see folk around us being challenged, help us to find the words of comfort to share with those who need to hear of your love.

Dan Joseph

Metropolitan Church

Holy Monday, 14 April

For the Lord your God is a devouring fire, a jealous God. 

Deuteronomy 4:24

Then he entered the temple and began to drive out those who were selling things there; and he said, ‘It is written, “My house shall be a house of prayer”; but you have made it a den of robbers.’

 Luke 19:45-46

Recently I spent three months on sabbatical visiting the Presbyterian Church of Taiwan.

On one occasion I was enjoying traditional street food at an indoor market with one of my friends from Taiwan, a pastor in the Presbyterian Church. Before we ate, as was usual, he paused to say grace for us. However I noticed that he spoke much more quietly and much more briefly than he did at home. After the short prayer I asked him about the change in style and he simply said that this was a public market place, suggesting that loud obtrusive prayers in a public place may not be appropriate.

I couldn't resist teasing him with a parody of Jesus words in the temple, commenting, 'it is said this is a market place, but you have made it a house of prayer'!

Teasing aside, my reflection on this passage and my recent Taiwanese experience asks some interesting questions. Far from this passage simply being used to deter church people from housing the Christmas Fair in the sanctuary space, it has become a reminder to not shy away from bringing our faith into the public sphere. 

Do we say grace at home, but not in a restaurant? 

Do we ever read the Bible in public? 

Have you even been as angry as Jesus in the temple and said/done something in public about it? 

There are perhaps several good reasons why the answer to these and similar questions is no, but if the real reason is simply embarrassment, maybe we all need to think again about how we can be people of faith in public and not just in private. 

Mike Walsh

The United Reformed Church