PRAYER MOMENT                                                                                    

A time to choose

A soldier, wounded in the First World War wrote to his family from his hospital bed, “war is aptly described by a young officer in the Coldstreams as ‘a month’s intensive boredom punctuated by moments of abject terror.’ It is a really good description …” Those of us who have never been in war can nod our heads and say it must indeed be like that, but we have no experience of such moments of abject terror.  Except, that is, for the moments we face where we have to make a decision. To decide on a major change in our life – or to have one thrust upon us against our will – can indeed be frightening.

Decisions can be about straining for victory or accepting defeat. To suddenly lose our health or our money or our skill takes some handling. Maybe the great tennis player Roger Federer is losing his hold over the game. We cheered him on his way up. It would be nice if we could support him on his way down. But whatever the situation, we all face times of decision. I am always moved by the words in Luke’s gospel where we are told ‘Jesus set his face towards Jerusalem’ (9:51). Here was defeat - and victory.  There is an on-going pattern in his ministry and then suddenly he decides to take the road to the city where he knows rejection and death await him.

It was not the first time he had made a dramatic move: he had no doubt been getting along nicely in Nazareth working as a craftsman, and then suddenly he decides to leave the security of his family and home and set out for the Jordan and all that followed.  Now he is making an even tougher decision – to go to Jerusalem. As we think of these moments we can also reflect on our own decisions, the ones we make and maybe the ones we avoid. There is no doubt that the peak experience for a human being is to make choices.

Countless people can’t make free choices. They are forced by circumstances to follow the only path life offers them; on the land, in a factory or even in who they marry and in what they believe. Insofar as choice is denied life is less human. If you listen to young people anywhere in the world they will tell you they want to be able to choose their life. But most can’t. Slavery is no longer openly practiced but it is still very real.

This Sunday in many churches we will hear those words, ‘he set his face towards Jerusalem.’ We will also read of Elisha leaving his oxen and following Elijah. Every time someone makes a tough choice he or she opens the door for others to do the same. History has been changed by individuals making choices, sometimes terrifying ones, and whole peoples benefit. We are all at the bedside of Nelson Mandela this week-end. What we revere in this man is his resolution, made at a moment in history and lived out over decades.

But when is the favourable time to make a decision? Perhaps the time is now.

30 June 2013   13^th Sunday of year C

I Kings 19:16-21         Gal 5:1, 13-18             Luke 9:51-62         

WHO AM I?

PRAYER MOMENT

Saturday 29 June 2013, feast of SS Peter and Paul

WHO AM I?

Pause. Take a moment to be still.

Reading. “Who do people say the Son of Man is? Who do you say I am?” (Matt 16:13-19)

Reflection. At certain points in his ministry Jesus leads his close followers to a deeper level of relationship with him. Like a football coach he pushes them to greater levels of achievement. For the moment the crowds have wild ideas about him but it is essential that those to whom he would give the mission of proclaiming God’s reign would know who he really is. From knowledge comes love and from love service.

Prayer. Lord, thank you for the great founders of your community, Peter and Paul. Help me too to know you so that I may love you more and so come to serve you in your people. Amen.

OF COURSE I WANT TO CURE YOU

PRAYER MOMENT

Friday 28 June 2013

OF COURSE I WANT TO CURE YOU

Pause. Take a moment to be still in the presence of God.

Reading. “If you want to you can cure me … of course I want to! Be cured.” (Matt 8:1-4)

Reflection. The whole thrust of the mission of Jesus is to announce the reign of God. Of course he wants o heal and raise us up. It is St Irenaeus’ feast today and he wrote in about 180, “He who did this is the Word of God, who dwelt in man and became son of man in order to accustom man to receive God and accustom God to dwell in man.”

Prayer. Lord, help me to “grow accustomed” each day to your presence in my life so that I can believe that, “of course” you want to raise all your people and all creation to share your life. Amen.

DOING THE WILL OF MY FATHER

PRAYER MOMENT

Thursday, 27 June 2013

DOING THE WILL OF MY FATHER

Pause. You are in the presence of the Father.

Reading. “It is not those who say to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ who will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the person who does the will of my Father in heaven.” (Matt 7:21-29)

Reflection. There you have it. It is that clear. There is really nothing else. We say it every day, ‘they will be done.’ The pot has to reflect the potter (Jer. 18). It has to show the intention and creativity of the one who makes it. The joy of our life is to proclaim at every moment the goodness and kindness of the One who made us and calls us to intimacy.

Prayer. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be your name, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven...  Amen

FIGS FROM THISTLES

PRAYER MOMENT

FIGS FROM THISTLES

Pause. “Be still and know that I am God.”

Reading. “Can people pick grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles?” (Matt 7:15-20)

Reflection. These are not metaphors city people would think of. But Jesus was rooted in the countryside of Galilee and he knew about grapes and figs, thorns and thistles. They provided simple sayings of everyday. Good people are incapable of bad actions. They make mistakes. But if their heart is right thy will never do lasting harm.

Prayer. Lord, give us a pure heart so that all our thoughts, words and actions will begin with you, draw life from you and bear fruit in you. Amen

TREATING OTHERS

PRAYER MOMENT

TREATING OTHERS

Pause. Be still.

Reading. “Always treat others as you would like them to treat you.” (Matt 7:6, 12-14)

Reflection. Jesus goes on to say, “this is the meaning of the law and the prophets.” But he came to fulfill the law and the prophets. He went far beyond them. He gave his life for us that we might have life to the full. He “emptied” himself and became one like us that he might lead us to become like him. “I was like someone lifting an infant to his cheek.” (Hos 11:4)

Prayer. Teach us, Lord, to be generous and not to count the cost; to give without thinking what we will receive.  Help us to have a heart like yours. You emptied yourself so that you could be like us and so raise us up to share in your life. We praise and thank you. Amen.

FILLED WITH AWE

PRAYER MOMENT

FILLED WITH AWE

Pause. Be still for a moment.

Reading. “All their neighbours were filled with awe.” (Luke 1:57-66)

Reflection. “Awesome” is a word that is pushing its way into everyday use. Books, films and even a performance in sport is describe as awesome. That is fine. But the word “awe” used to be reserved for the transcendent, the beyond. Medieval churches sometimes had these words over the door as you entered: “this is an awful place.” It is a place full of awe and wonder. As we read of the events describing John the Baptist’s birthday we are invited to ponder the sudden entrance of God into his world “when the times had run their course.” (Eph 1:10)

Prayer. God, our Father, you raised up John the Baptist to prepare your people for the coming of  the Messiah. Help us to welcome his coming every moment. “Have you not heard his silent steps? He comes, comes, ever comes. Every moment and every age, every day and every night he comes, comes, ever comes. Many a song have I sung in many a mood of mind but all their notes have always proclaimed, ‘He comes, comes, ever comes.’ (Tagore). Amen.