The man they had been following had been crucified. This must have felt like the end – but then Jesus came back to them: but the rollercoaster wasn’t over as Jesus left again, ascended. How would you feel at this point: lonely, confused, upset, sad – or perhaps exhausted! But then the Holy Spirit came – can we be identified as Christians by a bubbling, infectious glow of the Spirit in us as was with the disciples then?
What do we see at the end of the day as we look in the mirror? What does our life look like as we compare what we value with what we’ve done? Have we ever ended the day looking at who we are and what we want to be?
what would you do if the government declared that prayer was illegal? Daniel didn’t compromise: his routine didn’t alter: the time of prayer persisted, his attitude remained, he did not hide his faith. Daniel demonstrates that through commitment to prayer, the impossible becomes possible.
Jesus knew all too well he had little time on this earth; as with any last words, he shared with his disciples what he believed what was the most important message to leave them with. No time here for parables, lengthy discourse or illustrative phrase just the plain facts in three short words: love one another.
What happens for you when you read the bible? There may be some parts you enjoy more than others but do you wonder if the context, two thousand years later, means the same for us too?
Jesus shares all our fears, concerns, grief, and longings for physical healing, he feels these more deeply than we can image and shares all our emotional and spiritual pain.
David, the Bishop of Basingstoke lead a confirmation service at St Mark’s Church, Pennington on Sunday 28th April at 3pm. Many from St Mark’s congregation, as well as from neighbouring St Thomas’s Church in Lymington and All Saints in Milford came to show their support for our candidates as they were confirmed – and Lauren as she was baptised – together with candidates from Lymington and Milford.
From our Evensong service on Easter Sunday and it’s great news! Christ is risen and we have the promise of eternal life, called personally by name by Jesus. We are each called, we are known by Jesus. How often however do we not see what Jesus is doing for us, not seeing that he is there – and thus assume we’re walking alone?
It’s Good Friday. Today, we remember Jesus, and his journey to the cross. Pádraig Ó Tuama writes: “For me, Good Friday is the holiest day of the year. Not because of any worth in another brutal murder from another brutal occupying force. But because of the witness of a life lived with courage, even in the face of Roman torture. There are only two languages, Leunig says, love and fear.”
Jesus talks to his followers frankly about his death. About how his time is not forever with them, but soon to come to an end. What a terrible prospect this must have felt to the disciples around Jesus. They’d heard him speak: they’d seen his miracles: they’d shared his truth with others and devoted their lives to his cause. They were enjoying a good thing – and don’t we all want to hold on to that?
