Had a great morning at church. Parish Communion followed by Holy Baptism. People were quite genuinely pleased to see me back! I ached alot, but I felt on good form, which got better as the proceedings progresses, and my pain got worse.
Preached about the temptation of jumping styraight from the celebrations of Palm Sunday to the joy and festivities of Easter Day, without paying any attention to what lies in between - Holy Week, Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, with all the suffering, struggles and tragedy that it contains. Holy Week contains the reality of human existance, and faithwise we ignore it at our peril. Used parts of my Sabbitcal as good illustrations of getting that message accross. It all worked very well, but I was just a little worries whether it was a bit heavy, but folks said not, and had gained much from what I had said.
Some good hymns, which I hadn't picked, and one of them really spoke to me in a different way than it had done in the 100s of times I had sung it before -
We may not know, we cannot tell,
What pains He had to bear;
But we believe it was for us
He hung and suffered there.
It is through our pain and suffering that we are strengthened in our faith, and as we are strengthend, we get close to God. It was only singing this hymn this morning that I saw the connection with the suffering of Jesus. It was also very good to have the grandson of one of my Bishop heros in the congregation - I am conducting his marriage in 3 weeks time, and they were there to hear the final reading of the banns.
Went on to do a lovely baptism (lovely because of the people who were there, not because of anything I had done special), and I am always touched by those words which I always use -
XXXXX, today God has touched you with his love, and given you a place among his people. God promises to be with you in joy and in sorrow, to be your guide in life, and to bring you safely to heaven.
How we soon forget this when the pressures of life crowd in on us, or rather should I say how easy I forget it. I have put these to quotes on my blog mainly to remind me!
Come home, tired but happy, and 3 of my grandchildren have arrived. Terrible excited as Sue has caught to mice.
Off to join in.
See you soon.
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