Tell me that Old, Old Story....

Romans 8:26-39

Matthew 13:31-33, 44-42

There is something deeply attractive about people who are able to engage others when they tell a story.

We all know who they are; whether writers, actors, teachers or just people we meet, family and friends, some people have the ability to make our imaginations run wild, they can bring to life a series of events in a way others just can’t.

When I was a child, when I heard the words “Once upon a time” or some-such introduction I was usually transfixed. Then a story that would unfold and I could almost imagine myself there, feeling the emotion and wonder of the situation.

And if you can tell a good story, you can do a great deal of good, it is quite a gift. If you are like me, you know what a good story sounds like, you know what sort of story captivates people, but when it comes to the delivery it’s less than perfect.

In the Gospel reading this morning, Jesus is using his skill as a master storyteller to define the Kingdom of God. The people are transfixed, and his delivery is so attractive that people can see in their own lives how they have been affected. They themselves might not be able to put it into words, but Jesus is doing it for them in a beautiful way. So beautiful in fact that countless millions of people still talk about this.

In the reading, Jesus talks about mustard seeds, making bread, hidden treasure, pearls and fishing – something for everyone in the crowd that gathered to listen to him. At the end of the parables he repeats the warnings – letting them know that this is not merely a set of good stories but they are about life, faith, salvation, judgment and everything else.

“Have you all understood this?” Jesus asks. “Yes” the crowd reply.

We might not understand the full significance of the stories Jesus is telling because over time the meanings have been lost. Firstly, mustard seeds don’t grow into plants that give homes to birds. In a school assembly, where children have remembered growing mustard and cress seeds on a piece of kitchen towel, you will get strange looks if you don’t explain it is a story about the kingdom of God growing to great proportions – with the faith and trust of many – sharing God’s love with the whole of humanity.

At the time when Jesus spoke – a great tree was a well known symbol for the kingdom of God. King Nebuchadnezzar had dreamt of such a tree. In the book of Daniel (Dan 4.12) it says…and “the beasts of the field found shade under it, and the birds of the air dwelt in its branches”. The tree, Daniel told the king, was his kingdom, which like the tree in the dream was to be chopped down. The people would have understood the analogy. Here is the new tree – the new kingdom, where both Jews and Gentiles can take cover in its shade. This is the mustard seed with the spectacular growth.

Next comes the parable of the leaven. Something is lost in translation here – the woman is mixing together three measures – measures which is about 50 lbs of flour. This scene from ordinary life is actually a banquet, with enough bread for about hundreds of people. So here we have the new kingdom of God, created with its’ roots in the past – and a great banquet for all God’s people. All looking a bit more familiar now isn’t it.

Then we hear of the treasure of great price – and how it is easily hidden from those who do not know where to find it. Then comes the great pearl that a man sells all he has to buy it. The pearl that is worth more than everything we have, and the discovery of it, overturns everything. This is the value of the Kingdom of God.

We will gloss over the fact that the story about the field is very nearly theft! It’s probably best to do that.

Then Matthew’s Jesus brings us back to the end of the age, where we hear about the angels separating the good from the bad.

Because the crowd they reply they know what this means, Jesus tells them “therefore, every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”

Now this might be the bit that Matthew records because he himself is obviously a scribe, in the great tradition of Enoch, Ezra and Baruch. Their accounts, like Matthew’s contain the warnings and promises of the age.

Perhaps for us today, we are the scribes – writing and telling what the kingdom of God should be like. Using stories that people will understand – making God’s love a reality for all. I have always thought that ‘learning to tell stories’ should be the first thing we learn as Christians, and we should pray more often that we can ‘tell a good story’.

In these days of division, suspicion and chaos – perhaps we are called to speak the truth in ways that people can understand – making the stories in our actions and words.

Norway

It’s not all easy though, what story can we tell the people of Norway after the horrific and senseless tragedy that befell their nation on Friday? How can we tell a story of a God who cares for people, even if we can tell them he sits alongside them when they mourn? Even the best storytelling might not help their pain.

And again, as we think of the people who live in poverty or pray for peace, those who have always struggled for food, clean water, medicines, justice and love that God is always with them? It’s not easy, but there is one thing that is certain. After the example of our great story-teller, when we tell of;

· of people being loved by God when love wasn’t in plentiful supply

· of people never being alone, however bad things get, and

· how God works through the strangest of things in the lives of ordinary people to make extraordinary things,

Well, these are the real stories that need to be told, and as we know, those who have ears will listen.

It’s a great week to start your training as a storyteller, if the sun ever comes out again so will people. Tell someone a story this week, about you and God, and what difference it made.

Trinity 1...being blue isn't too bad!

First Sunday after Trinity Sunday (Pentecost 2)

As we think back to the last few weeks of Pentecost Sunday, the birthday of the Church, and Trinity Sunday remembering the threefold nature of God, and even Corpus Christi which was celebrated on Thursday, we could easily look at the great expanse of ordinary time, right up to All Saint’s day, and think that church was going to be a bit boring without a good festival for a few months.

However, these are the weeks when we can relax a bit, and think about all the great gifts God has given us. It is time to hear parts of the Bible that we just don’t hear usually, and to think how this affects us on a day-to-day basis.

Over the last few weeks, we have been hearing about the gifts of the Spirit, and today we are hearing about the gifts of God, and there is a difference. The gifts of the Spirit are many and varied, but as far as I can see, the gifts of God are always the same. And that gift is people. God sends us to people, and he sends people to us, to reveal his purpose and the meaning of his love for us. We are in relationship with others, and however those relationships happen, they may just be a gift from God.

Like all gifts, there are ones we like, and ones we do not like – like those presents at Christmas that you still haven’t tried on – the socks or jumpers - There are people we are uncomfortable with, and others we are happy with. However, to be in relationship with others is to receive a gift from God.

The cup of water

In the Gospel reading this morning, Jesus says to his disciples ‘Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me’.

The message is clear – We are to be involved in the lives of others – because they are God’s gift to us and we are entrusted to take Christ to them.

He then goes on to say that ‘and whoever gives a cup of water to these little ones in the name of a disciple – truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.’

Even the smallest kindness (like a drink of water) is important and nothing is lost.

The greatest part of being a Christian, and the best part about what I do, is being allowed into the lives of others. I’m lucky enough to do this through marriages, baptisms, funerals. These are all great opportunities for me. They all help me see God working out his plan for us slowly in the world.

A few years ago, I lectured at Trinity College Carmarthen. I don’t think I preached about it at the time. It was the one and only time I did…I wonder if it went down well?

Anyway, I was preaching to Theology students about the ‘perfect community’, that would give us the opportunities to be ‘as Christ to others’ and in the context of this morning, give us more opportunities to ‘give each other a drink of cold refreshing water’ more often.

I looked at the First Christian communities, the early church – but many of the communities expanded so quickly, with struggles and difficulties that St. Paul and others needed to put them back on track. I wondered whether these could be good role models for us, but they grew and changed so quickly, they expanded way beyond the first community in Jerusalem throughout the Hellenistic world and even beyond the Roman Empire. I wasn’t quite sure if that would help us to think more clearly about our own church today. They were too diverse and changed so quickly.

I then looked at ‘Christian Base Communities’ primarily in Latin America, where groups of the poor and oppressed live together to learn and share, to work and survive, usually supported by the church and a priest or lay person. They are concerned with the material things of life; food, medicine, housing and justice for the people who live there. They study the Bible, then act accordingly in terms of social action. I wasn’t quite sure if this would be the ideal model either, for us to consider in our quest to find some ideas how to bring God to others. In our community, we aren’t oppressed to the same degree, but we continue to pray for those who are.

I thought a little more, and when I was looking at the BBC website yesterday morning, I realised what community we could emulate.

The SMURFS give us a model for community that is hard to beat…

It is a place where neighbours are always willing to lend a hand, where everyone has a certain skill and is willing to employ it, without personal reward and for the benefit of everyone.

The Smurfs were created in 1958 by the Belgian Artist Peyo, and In 1981, Hanna-Barbera began to produce a cartoon series that resulted in 256 episodes, dubbed into some 30 languages (Including Welsh, where they are called ‘Y Smurfs’), they are still being shown on more than 120 television channels around the world today.

The SMURFS live without money and use their individual skills for the common good, without individual reward, to ensure the community thrives. Each SMURF has sufficient food, clothing and housing (even though they live in mushrooms) and even though there are stereotypes from the everyday world, lazy, grouchy and brainy Smurf they all fulfil the tasks required of them.

The stories from the community are tales of bold adventure where wrongs were righted and the underdog had been given justice.

It might be at this stage in the sermon that you think I have lost all the wheels from my wagon, and I realize that. However, there is one important piece of evidence for the SMURFS being a perfect example of community – a community that we could do well to emulate.

A community, in the context of the Gospel that would give us many more opportunities to take the refreshing cold water to others.

There original name Les Schtroumpfs, was a word born at a meal when Peyo was having a meal with a French friend and had temporarily forgotten the word for…’the salt’.

The SMURFS are ‘the salt’, in Peyo’s bad translation. But for those who read the BIBLE this is very interesting.

TO be SALT and LIGHT, as it says in the SERMON on the mount, differs slightly from being the SALT OF THE EARTH, found in the Gospel According to St. Matthew, but they are both reminders for us to be ‘in the world’ but not ‘of the world’, to take God with us into the very human situations, and speak the words of life to them…

The next time we meet someone who is considered to be less than human; the homeless, the criminal, the disabled or the poor, even those people we find difficult to love; We should take a moment to think…

They may just be God’s gift to us, an opportunity to be as Christ to them, taking them the cool living water.

The overarching irony is that we cannot live out our faith on our own, we need others to share the love of God with. To do that, we need to realize that we are dependent on each other in our communities, our nation, and that world.

So (and I’ve been looking forward to saying this);

May we live together like the SMURFS, being the salt and light to those around us.

The Sunday after the Ascension

Sunday after Ascension

Jesus prayed, “I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours”.

Quite possibly these 13 verses of the Gospel according to John is the greatest prayer ever prayed – Jesus looks heavenward and starts the prayer “Father…”

Jesus prayed these words in the Upper Room on the night of his betrayal, knowing that crucifixion would follow with the coming sunrise. The words are part of his final words, and final words have a history of being intense, focused and passionate. So it was with Jesus.

Had his disciples ever heard him pray like this before? What did they think, knowing that with the actions of the next day all would be lost – they would be thrown into turmoil and upset? Could they feel in that moment the importance of their role in the story of Christianity? Were they praying and hoping that it wasn’t all for nothing – wasted years. Who knows what they might have been thinking – but as they shared the last meal with Jesus, they heard this prayer.

The greatest Prayer ever prayed?

This prayer that draws together everything they have seen and heard – the prayer is so complete and co

Jesus asks for His disciples to be kept in unity. He prays that they may be kept from evil, and He prays that they may be sanctified – made holy. Jesus has been their protector, and he gives an account of that – they are living in a hostile land, and when He goes they will need to look after themselves.

The reading goes on to tell us that Jesus tells God that not one of them was lost “except the one destined to be lost”. This comment about JUDAS puts the lid on it really for him.

Strangely, Jesus says that his prayer is not on behalf of the world, but just his disciples gathered there - The NEW church in its’ earliest form.

All we can hope and pray is that this 2,000 year old prayer is for us today as well. That the church may live in unity – all Christian peoples together, away from the attraction of evil, sanctified by GOD for the work we do in spreading the Gospel for the present and the future. There is nothing so certain to make you feel unworthy as this suggestion, that perhaps this prayer – the prayer of Christ – is for us – Disciples of the NEW MILENNIUM, the people entrusted with the message of peace, justice, love and righteousness.

Yesterday, I sent an email to someone who is investigating that most strange form of discipleship – becoming a Priest. And as I wrote the email I thought how some of the things I said were applicable to all people.

When we become Christians – following in the tradition of the first Disciples and following the call of Christ – not all of us will need to dress up and stand at the front. Not all of us will say the words of institution over the bread and the wine, or marry, bury and baptise. However there are some certainties for all those who accept the call of Christ to join his army of disciples.

Being set apart from the world, but also being part of the world. Taking a view of all things through Christian values, making a stand for justice, peace, love and an end to the things that make us somehow less as humanity.

The other thing is, of course, that God changes us to be more like him as we spend more time in his presence. So, prayer is life changing in that sense. Getting together as Christians to plan how we can take this message into the world is as important.

The reading from the Acts of the Apostles gives us another account of the ascension of Jesus, there are many through the first few books of the New Testament, the one thing that stands out though, is the fact that they are rather boring compared to the rip-roaring adventures, the highs and lows, the rollercoaster ride of emotion of the life of Jesus in the Gospels.

All the accounts are a bit matter of fact really. They went from staring into the sky watching Jesus ascend to heaven, then it tells us their next action was;

…..Then they returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city. When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying…then it gives a list of the disciples (and Mary)

It doesn’t tell us what they did next, who said what, what they ate, nothing.

Why so matter of fact? Well I think the point of the story here is that this is where the work of building the church started. The people reading this story will have been members of the new church, they would have known what had happened from that moment.

After reading what happened and hearing the small list of disciples and Mary, I think they would have thought – “and look at us now” a new church, suffering under persecutions in some areas, but growing nevertheless. “from little acorns…..and all that”.

And I think that we should we too should remember that. As disciples of the NEW MILLENIUM, we should remember that the real importance of the story is that when Christ went back at the ascension, that was not the end, it was the beginning.

The chance to build a brighter future for all God’s people in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. AMEN

If you're reading this then you haven't been raptured

EASTER 6 Sermon - RCL Year A

Acts of the Apostles. (7.55-60)

First Letter of Peter. (2.2-10)

The Gospel of Christ according to Saint John. (14.1-14)

Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling-places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way to the place where I am going.’ Thomas said to him, ‘Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?’ Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.’ Philip said to him, ‘Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satis- fied.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, “Show us the Father”? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves. Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.’

Well, it’s good to see you are all here today – and you haven’t been taken up to heaven…I’ll explain later if you don’t know what I mean.

In the Gospel reading that we have heard today we have his famous statement, “I am the way, the truth and the life” in John ch. 14, and in the First letter of Peter (Ch.2) we are assured that “We are a chosen race, a Royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people…”

And it’s these statements that I want to think about this morning, because both of them remind us of our calling. The Church is about the people, God’s people gathered together in fellowship for prayer and worship, for support, for mission and for proclamation of the good news of Christ.

It may well be that we have not seen heaven. I, for one, struggle to get a picture of what heaven might even be like, but that’s because we always want to apportion physical attributes to places, to get a picture in our mind.

I believe that the only thing we can really say about Heaven is that it’s a place where we live closely with one another and with God.

But to glimpse heaven we do not need to be dead – glimpses of heaven are all around us, and that is what God has intended for us. He has created a world full of good things, and good opportunities. Sadly at times we neglect our responsibilities in that world, sadly we sometimes neglect our responsibilities to others, but the fact remains that the world has many wonders and many gifts for us to enjoy, both in beauty and splendour of creation, and in the people all around us.

But even more than just seeing signs of heaven around us, we are actually called to BE glimpses of heaven for people around us – ‘A chosen race, a Royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people…’

We are called in our lives to live out and reflect that love given to us, in our compassion, peace, courage, hope and wisdom.

‘I am the way, the truth and the life’ is Jesus’ invitation to SHARE IN HIS LIFE. It is HIS call to follow new and exciting paths of discovery as he opens up the MAGIC OF HIS KINGDOM to us.

In Chapter 17 of Johns Gospel, we hear Jesus praying aloud: Praying that His followers – would be united in their mission to spread the Good News.

"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you.

And again;

“May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”

The way, for Christians – for “the Royal priesthood” is the way of UNITY. So, surely, beyond all else, we should seek unity as Christians in a world that thrives on schism and division. Surely, Christians should be identifiable by their desire for unity, even though the natural human desire is for disunity. Surely, Christians should try to build bridges to bridge the widest gaps, and to give the glory to God through their peacemaking work?

Jesus prays out loud that we should live in unity – we should be known for our acceptance and compassion, and what do some people know us for?

Well, many people look at the church and say it’s a place of division, all the news about the church seems to be about disagreement. You have to laugh, otherwise you would cry. To use someone else’s line – if you have two theologians in a room there are three opinions.

And when it’s not news about division, it’s about the few people who probably aren’t sticking to the script;

The great church news this week was about Harold Camping, 89, predicted that Christ will return to earth on yesterday and true believers will be swept up, or "raptured", to heaven. He used broadcasts and billboards to publicise his ideas.

He says biblical texts indicate that a giant earthquake yesterday would mark the start of the world's destruction, and that by 21 October all non-believers will be dead.

Mr. Camping has predicted an apocalypse once before, in 1994, though followers now say that only referred to an intermediary stage.

"We learn from the Bible that Holy God plans to rescue about 200 million people," says a text on the website of Mr Camping's network, Family Radio Worldwide.

An atheist and entrepreneur from North Hampshire in America, is enjoying a boost in business for Eternal Earth-bound Pets, which he set up to look after the pets of those who believe they will be raptured.

He has more than 250 clients who are paying up to $135 (£83) to have their pets picked up and cared for after the rapture.

I thought about leaving a few old clothes strewn around the church, so when people drove by they would think we’d been raptured! But that would be naughty

And meanwhile in the Bible…. I couldn’t find reference to 200 million people, but one of our number reminded me of a verse from Matthew 24:36

36 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

Oh well!

I can tell you that sometimes I wonder that when I pray does anybody listen, because I pray for unity in our church every day (I also pray that the news will reflect what perfectly normal Christians are doing every minute of every day in the world) I pray for you and I pray for myself, that we can grow and learn more from each other about the importance of us being one – and I get upset with God seems to be not listening

And then I remember the part of the Gospel when Jesus prayed for unity;

“May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” And it makes me feel better – because it isn’t just about me, because Jesus hasn’t had his prayer answered yet either.

‘We are a chosen race, a Royal Priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people…’ let us do all we can to make heaven a reality here on earth – in our care and acceptance of one another in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. AMEN

When all the cake is gone!

Huge thanks to all who took part in the 'God Music Technology' concert this evening in St. Mary's church, Magor. More information to follow about how much we raised for the good causes.

The Good Shepherd and the Bad Theology

John. 10.1-10

Jesus said to the Pharisees, ‘Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.’ Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. So again Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.’

We have the tradition of calling different Sundays by different names. Palm Sunday, Sea Sunday, Bible Sunday. This week I have heard today referred to as ‘Good Shepherd’ Sunday – this is not a difficult one for me to fathom, mainly because from the collect prayer and the Gospel reading it is fairly obvious. The image of the ‘good shepherd’ is one that is Jesus uses for himself to help to explain the nature and purpose of His work on Earth, and His role in salvation.

Just before the action starts in today’s Gospel reading, Jesus has healed the man born blind. The man’s parents are afraid because it says that “The Jews were already agreeing that anyone who confessed Jesus as Christ should be expelled from the synagogue” The Jews have already caught up with the man…. They say “YOU are a disciple of this Jesus; but we are disciples of Moses; But this man, we do not know where he has come from”. Then they turn on Jesus, challenging Him.

Jesus must have been very frustrated – he is speaking their language, he knows the laws and the words of the prophets, and still they can’t see who he is. What is stopping them from following?

Jesus then tells a story, that to all assembled must have seemed a bit strange.

JESUS speaks of sheep and shepherds. He speaks of a SHEEPFOLD, which at the time would have been a fenced or walled enclosure, with space for several flocks of several shepherds, guarded by a gatekeeper. There would have been danger at night, outside the fold; sometimes there could be danger within the fold from anyone not coming through the gate – perhaps a thief or a bandit.

Jesus talks at the beginning of the reading about entering the sheepfold not by the gate….

I can imagine the scene, as Jesus finished speaking they must have looked at each other and wondered what he meant.

Well, this is a complicated allegory…

On Good Shepherd Sunday it’s no good just thinking about the easy pictures!

Well, perhaps the Pharisees are the gatekeepers, who should be welcoming a shepherd such as Jesus to tend, gather and lead his flock. Or perhaps they are the thieves who have climbed into the enclosure; the moment they hear them, the sheep get spooked and run away.

The Pharisees claim they can see! But they do not understand the riddle.

Jesus explains “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep...all who came before me are thieves and bandits”. Jesus is saying that he has replaced them.

In the Gospel according to John, Jesus is never the new improved model;

· He is not just the new guardian of the sacred, he replaces what was sacred;

· He is not just the new priest – he is the temple;

· He is not just the new Moses, carrying the law – he is the law.

· He is not only the gatekeeper – he is the gate itself.

Quite a revelation – all too much for the Pharisees – sometimes a bit too much for us…

This isn’t usual stuff is it? This allegory has just got out of hand

Surely the Pharisees should have known – when Jesus started talking about farming, the penny should have dropped.

In EZEKIEL, God declares his upset about the shepherds of ISRAEL (He’s talking about the leaders of the people) “You shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves, should not shepherds feed the sheep? I shall lead the people out of the nations; I shall feed them with good pasture, I myself shall be the shepherd of my sheep, I shall raise up one shepherd, my servant David; he will pasture them and be their shepherd. You are my sheep, you are the flock of my pasture, and I am your God”.

They would have also known that in Psalm 118 it says “This is the gate of the Lord; the righteous shall enter through it. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”

David – shepherd of God’s flock - The gate by which all enter into salvation. Jesus is talking to them – but they cannot understand.

The reading from the ACTS of the APOSTLES (2:42-47) is another of those “difficult to understand” readings. Not because it is written in allegory, not because it is a riddle, but because just like the Pharisees, we struggle to find another explanation.

The first few chapters of the Acts of the Apostles are challenging for all new Christians, with honest and inquisitive conviction – looking for a way to find the right ground to grow their faith.

“Many were baptised and added to the community. They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship…All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need.”

There is no question that we have missed the gate on this one – if we believe that this is not a call to form Christian communities based on mutual responsibility and a shared purse, and somehow Christianity has evolved past the need to live together, then this still doesn’t answer that the millions who suffer extreme poverty are asking.

There’s no mistake in the lectionary either that this reading about living in community appears with the Gospel according to John 10:10 “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly”.

Throughout my childhood I can remember this being translated as “God will make you wealthy” and “for every pound you put on the plate, God will return it tenfold”. It’s the strongest message that evangelical churches pump out to attract new believers. Unfortunately, however, it’s not true, and just like many things, it’s the complete opposite.

“Fullness of life”, is found when we stop focusing on ourselves, our personal wealth, our personal possessions and our personal security, it’s found when we realize that we are all dependent on each other.

Living in common might not be something we still have the ability to do as humanity, perhaps that has been lost forever, but with the ever shrinking world, people thousands of miles away are still our ‘brothers and sisters’, people we can care for, people we can pray for and people we can support.