Author: stmelangell_l5nfea

Reflection for the Second Sunday of the Kingdom

‘Some Sadducees, those who say there is no resurrection, came to him and asked him a question, “……..In the resurrection, whose wife will the woman be?” 

Jesus said to them, “They cannot die anymore….being children of the resurrection… He is God not of the dead, but of the living.” Then some of the scribes replied, “Teacher, you have spoken well.”Jesus, in today’s Gospel Luke 20:27-38.

”What I love…..is not knowing until half an hour before we record it what the questions will be. I love the risk and the jeopardy.” Fiona Bruce, Chair of BBC’s Question Time.



What an astonishing week Jesus has had. His lengthy journey has nearly reached its end and he has wept over Jerusalem before entering it and being welcomed by crowds of people. He has then overturned the tables of those profiteering from worshippers in the Temple and stayed in the Temple teaching whilst his enemies seek an opportunity to have him killed. His authority is under question (20:1-8) and so Jesus has told the provocative parable of the wicked tenants (20:9-19), has avoided a trap about taxes (20:20-26) and has now been approached with a tricky question from the Sadducees. He faces great controversy and conflict – many are plotting against him to try and bring him down, a situation that former PM Liz Truss and some current politicians might also recognise! 

The Sadducees were some of the wealthiest  and most powerful people in Jerusalem but also amongst the most conservative in their thinking which meant that they and the more liberal Pharisees often disagreed. Jesus now faces their hypothetical question of remarriage after divorce, as was the custom to provide care for the widowed and orphaned. The Sadducees dream up a situation where seven brothers married the same woman when each of them died and they ask whose wife she would be at the resurrection. As the Sadducees don’t believe in resurrection, Jesus is able to avoid their trickery and tells them that what applies in this world will not be the case in the next. He reinterprets what Moses wrote about Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in particular, and, as they disagree with him and are reluctant to change their thinking, the Sadducees melt away. His response even earns him the praise of the scribes, who tell Jesus he has answered well – whilst plans continue to try to trap him.

Tricky questions are often used to confuse as well as to clarify but Jesus continues to speak honestly and openly of new life and heaven even in the face of the plotting and duplicity he is experiencing. Eventually, even the crowd will turn against him and death will try but fail to claim him. Resurrection will prevail because Jesus is willing to risk everything for the sake of all humanity and so jeopardy is overcome. As the dilemmas and challenges of our situations are faced in these changing times, perhaps there is a need to reinterpret and extend some of our beliefs to enable us to look beyond the immediate. In so doing, we may find the new life and hope of resurrection of which Jesus then spoke as we seek answers to our questions today.

With my prayers; pob bendith,

Christine.

Reflection for All Saints’ Day

”Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven.” Jesus, in today’s Gospel Matthew 5:1-12. 

“I am not a saint, unless you think of a saint as a sinner who keeps on trying.” Nelson Mandela. 

All Saints’ Day can be celebrated this Sunday, although it actually falls on the 1st November, closely followed by All Souls’ Day on the 2nd. In Judaism, a day begins at sundown so the festival starts on Hallowe’en, All Hallows’ Eve, when the powers of darkness are said to be at their height. The ancient word Hallowed, or holy, is still used in the traditional version of the Lord’s Prayer and there are three days of remembering the saints and those who have died, which can be extended  to Remembrance Sunday in the month of Remembrance that November has become.  

All Saints’ and All Souls’ Day marks the powerful link between the Church triumphant – those in heaven – and the Church militant, those in this world. As Wesley’s hymn puts it, “Let saints on earth in concert sing/ with those whose work is done/ for all the servants of our King/ in heaven and earth are one.”

As the reign of King Charles III unfurls, so these may seem old fashioned sentiments but the power of prayer is part of the validation of that link. The example and legacy of those gone before us has been the motivation for many people of faith and the prayers or prayerful writings of the saints are still frequently used. One of those that is particularly challenging is from St Teresa of Calcutta, who knew dark times in her faith. As we face poverty in living as well as in spirit and darkness in our own generation, a darkness which some fear may be overwhelming, then perhaps her words will hearten and enlighten us this All Saints’ Day:

Do it anyway – St Teresa of Calcutta, formerly Mother Teresa. 

People are often unreasonable, illogical and self-centered;
Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives;
Be kind anyway.
If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies;
Succeed anyway.
If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you;
Be honest and frank anyway.
What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight;
Build anyway.
If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous;
Be happy anyway.
The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow;
Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough;
Give the world the best you’ve got anyway.
You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and your God;
It was never between you and them anyway.With my prayers; pob bendith,

Christine, Guardian.

Reflection for Bible Sunday and the political events  this week.

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor….. Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” Jesus in today’s Gospel, Luke 4:16-24.

“I am a fighter not a quitter.” PM Liz Truss, Wednesday 19th October.

“I cannot deliver the mandate…. I am resigning.” PM Liz Truss, Thursday 20th October.

It being Bible Sunday today, the Gospel portrays Jesus delivering what is, in effect, his manifesto as he is asked to speak in the synagogue and publicly reads from the prophet Isaiah. This passage is well known and speaks of freedom for the captive, recovery of sight for the blind and the proclamation of the year of the Lord’s favour. It‘s a message of hope but is being read at a time when Palestine is under Roman occupation and there is unrest, suffering, anxiety and inequality. When Jesus declares that it has been fulfilled as he reads it, such a controversial statement angers those present so greatly that they eventually drive him out of town to hurl him off a cliff, although Jesus leaves unharmed. 

This week in British politics has also seen a leader causing great controversy and anger, with Prime Minister Liz Truss resigning after six weeks through being unable to deliver the mandate on which she was elected. During the leadership contest, some thought her manifesto had seemed to be bold and radical but, as she later admitted, her economic policies had gone “too far and too fast”. At a time of already great turmoil and hardship, the catastrophic consequences and turbulence were extraordinary, leading to what was described as the political disembowelment of the Prime Minister. She has been driven out of office and is now the shortest serving PM in UK history but the vast economic problems remain, amongst them the Government’s rating being downgraded by Moody’s from stable to negative. The truth of this is hard to bear and the instability of the situation as well as the challenge for whoever replaces Liz Truss is vast for the country as well as the Tories. As the commentator Beth Rigby declared, “We live day by day….. Actually, we live hour by hour. The party has had a collective breakdown.”

Clearly, there was also a breakdown in understanding between Jesus and his hearers in the synagogue when they experienced a truth too hard for them to handle. But as Jesus declared the fulfilment of the scripture he read that day, so the same is true in our lives – now is the moment, now is the time for God’s purposes. If that seems too challenging in the face of such consternation and negativity, then perhaps the collect for Bible Sunday will enable greater confidence as we ponder today what the present moment may be showing us and try to discern how hope can be fulfilled in the face of such adversity and transience: Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning; help us so to hear, mark, learn and inwardly digest them that, through patience and the comfort of your holy word, we may embrace and for ever hold fast the hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Saviour Jesus Christ, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

With my prayers; pob bendith,

Christine, Guardian.

Reflection for Harvest

Today is Harvest Festival at St Melangell’s when the Singing Farmer, John Hughes, shared songs and thoughts about harvest during the service. As his thoughts were related to those songs, which can’t be posted, today’s reflection is from the Farming Community Network and is followed by a children’s prayer based on the letters of the word Harvest. 

Stuck behind a tractor!

Hoorah!! It is harvest time again!! There you are, hurtling through the lanes in your car on some mission of huge national importance, muttering venomously at cyclists in helmets shaped like wasps’ bottoms, inconsiderate enough to want a bit of your road (and hoping they can’t lip-read), rounding a bend and coming up behind the ponderous majesty of a tractor and trailer. On closer inspection over the next ten minutes you conclude that it is actually a convoy of three tractors and two trailers and the glory of the aforementioned ponderous majesty begins to wear a bit thin! Hoorah. It is harvest time again. And I would wager a considerable sum that most of you do not at this point start singing songs of everlasting thanks and praise to our great God for his generous provision, or blessing the farmers for the work they do to put food on our plates!

So here is your challenge for harvest and beyond. I’ve learned to do it and if I can manage it anyone can. If you get stuck on your travels behind a tractor or a combine or a plough or any other mysteriously shaped implement of the sod, (by which I mean, of course, the soil!) take it as an opportunity for reflection, for thanksgiving and for praise.

Why should you bother? Firstly because praising God for what he gives us should become a matter of habit in all of us and secondly because as a nation we owe a huge debt of gratitude to the farmers who are taken totally for granted by most of us who have become emotionally and practically detached from the source of our food.

We cannot and must not take national food security as a given. Climate change and population growth mean that it is more difficult to produce enough grain for the world’s needs. Global markets will sell to the highest bidder regardless of need. Political mismanagement and the power of global enterprise in the inherently local business of food production are putting countless family farms out of business.

So when you get stuck behind that tractor take a deep breath, smile and wave at the farmer and ask for God’s blessing on his family and work. Reflect on our corporate relationship to food and the land as the God given source of all our well-being and praise God from whom all blessings flow.

And if I rush in late to take your service on a Sunday morning you will understand why! 

Happy harvest one and all.

Reverend Sarah Brown.

A Harvest Prayer, based on the letters of the word itself.

HARVEST time is here again.

We HAVE brought THE flowers, fruit and vegetables that we HAVE grown in THE summer HEAT.

We STARE AT THE HARVEST of EARTH and SEA. We RAVE over THE lovely flowers arranged in A VASE. Thank you, Lord God, for HARVEST.

We throw good food away as TRASH for RATS to EAT AT an alarming RATE.

We HAVE so much; while millions STARVE.

SAVE us from greed and selfishness.

Help us, Lord, to SHARE THE good things you HAVE given,

that everyone may HAVE enough to EAT, STAVE off THE pangs of hunger and AVERT starvation.

Take away all HATE from our HEARTS

and fill THE EARTH with your love from EAST to west and back again.

HEAR our prayer, Lord of the HARVEST.

Amen

Reflection for the Seventeenth Sunday after Trinity, Safeguarding Sunday 

As today is being observed as Safeguarding Sunday in Wales, the service and sermon was specific to St Melangell’s and so today’s reflection is that issued from the recent gathering of the World Council of Churches. This was attended by Bishop Gregory who has sent it for general circulation.

The Message of the 11th Assembly of the World Council of Churches

A Call to Act Together

“The Love of Christ urges us on.”

(2 Cor. 5:14, NRSV)

“Come, follow me!”

1. From the time he journeyed on earth, and even in this present moment, Jesus unceasingly addresses these words to every human being. Jesus’ life, words, and actions are a constant invitation to movement – from one physical place to another, from one group of people to another, from one mindset to another. Above all, amid the problems of the world, Jesus calls us to come to him and to abide in his love, a love which is offered for all the world (cf. Matt. 11:28).

2. The very last book of the Bible, Revelation, speaks of ancient forces of human suffering at work in the world: war, death, disease, and famine. As the assembly of the World Council of Churches gathered in Karlsruhe in 2022, we were conscious of their manifestations in the world today. In their wake come injustice and discrimination, where those who have power often use it to oppress others rather than to build inclusion, justice, and peace.

3. Individuals, peoples, and countries also face catastrophes arising directly from an irresponsible and broken relationship with creation that has led to ecological injustice and climate crisis. As the climate emergency accelerates, so does the suffering experienced by impoverished and marginalized people.

4. Yet continuing our pilgrimage together as an assembly of the World Council of Churches, our mood has been one of anticipation and hope, and even joy, because through the power of the Holy Spirit, Christ´s invitation remains open to everyone, in fact to the whole of creation.

5. “Christ’s love moves the world to reconciliation and unity.” This love, in answer to the cries of those who are suffering, compels us to come to him in solidarity and to respond and act for justice. We are summoned to be reconciled in God’s love, and to witness to that love revealed in Christ (1 John 4:9-11).

6. Reconciliation is a movement toward God and toward each other. It implies a readiness to listen to God and to one another. It is a conversion of the heart, from selfishness and apathy to inclusion and service, acknowledging our interdependence with creation. We confess that, even as we desire with our whole hearts to serve God and our neighbour, we have found ourselves failing, disagreeing, and sometimes walking in opposite directions. We confess that we need the transformative power of Christ’s love to move to a world truly reconciled and united.

7. Christians, and the structures that we have built, have been complicit in the abuse of others, and we must repent and join in this movement of reconciliation. In the face of war, inequality, and sins against creation today, Christ’s love calls us all to repentance, reconciliation, and justice.

Our journey together

8. Amid all our diversity, we have relearned in our assembly that there is a pilgrimage of justice, reconciliation, and unity to be undertaken together.

· Meeting together in Germany, we learn the cost of war and the possibility of reconciliation;

· Hearing the word of God together, we recognize our common calling;

· Listening and talking together, we become closer neighbours;

· Lamenting together, we open ourselves to each other’s pain and suffering;

· Working together, we consent to common action;

· Celebrating together, we delight in each other’s joys and hopes;

· Praying together, we discover the richness of our traditions and the pain of our divisions.

“Go into the whole world”

9. From the time of his ascension into heaven, and even in this present moment, Christ unceasingly gives this command to all who follow him.

10. As reconciliation brings us closer to God and each other, it opens the way toward a unity founded in God’s love. As Christians we are called to dwell in Christ’s love and to be one (John 17). Such unity, which is a gift from God, and which arises from reconciliation and is grounded in his love, enables us to address the world’s urgent problems. We will find a strength to act from a unity founded in Christ’s love, for it enables us to learn the things that make for peace, to transform division into reconciliation, and to work for the healing of our living planet. Christ’s love will sustain all of us in the task of embracing everyone and overcoming exclusion.

11. We have tasted the experience of such love as we gathered from 352 member churches with our ecumenical partners, friends from other faith communities, and from all regions of the world to seek unity amid our diversity. Together we have listened to voices often marginalized in the world: women, youth, people with disabilities, Indigenous peoples.

12. We long for a wider movement, the reconciliation and unity of all humanity, and indeed of the entire cosmos. This would be a unity in which God establishes justice, an equal place for all, through which creation may be renewed and strengthened. We rely on Christ’s love as we act and advocate for climate justice. We join our voices with the Amsterdam assembly (1948) that “war is contrary to the will of God,” and the Nairobi assembly (1975) that “racism is a sin against God.” We lament that we have to repeat these statements.

13. In our assembly, we have used many words, but from these we have fashioned a new resolve. Now we ask God’s assistance to transform our commitments into action. We commit ourselves to working with all people of good will. As we reflect on the fruits of our work in Karlsruhe, we invite all to become pilgrims together. For in Christ, all things will be made new. His love which is open to all, including the last, the least, and the lost, and is offered to all, can move and empower us in a pilgrimage of justice, reconciliation, and unity.

Reflection for the Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity.

”The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” From Luke 17:5-11, NRSV.

CHARLES III • D • G • REX • F • D • Latin inscription – meaning King Charles III, by the Grace of God, Defender of the Faith – on the coins to be issued throughout his reign.

In today’s Gospel, the disciples ask Jesus to increase their faith and this comes during a time when everything he says and does is being scrutinised. The stories he tells are puzzling, so  provocation results and the disciples seem perplexed after a warning to be on guard. When they ask for their faith to increase, Jesus suggests that even faith the size of a small mustard seed is sufficient – what they need is faith, not in themselves, but in a great God. After the chaotic effects of the Government’s fiscal policies on the economy this week, when there were already fears for the cost of living during the winter ahead, this is a time when faith in the future is needed but many are as perplexed today as those disciples then.

The Anglican faith in which he is deeply rooted was referred to by the new King in his address to the nation following his accession: “In that faith and the values it inspires, I have been brought up to cherish a sense of duty to others, and to hold in the greatest respect, the precious traditions, freedoms and responsibilities of our unique history and our system of parliamentary government.” As with every monarch since Pope Leo X conferred the title on Henry VIII, the coins throughout Charles’ reign will be imprinted with F.D. – the abbreviation for Fidei Defensor – which was given to Henry for his defence of Roman Catholicism before he broke with Rome in 1530. That began in an age of great turbulence and perhaps the lessons of history will provide food for thought in our own time of upheaval. 

Then, as now, Jesus encouraged his followers to use the faith in God that they already had, reminding them that even a small amount of faith can work wonders. Whether we have faith in God or not, faith in its many forms is much in the news this weekend with the Observer‘s newspaper headline declaring Voters abandon Tories as faith in economic competence dives. It is clear that more uncertainty and turbulence lie ahead and that faithfulness and patience will be needed whatever happens, whether with a religious or secular faith. That‘s challenging us all and perhaps many will echo the sentiments of Mother Teresa: “I know God will not give me anything I can’t handle. I just wish he didn’t trust me so much.” 

However, at the heart of the Christian faith is the One who has lived amongst humanity and experienced all that involves. Even Jesus knew agony of body, mind and spirit in the Garden of Gethsemane when, faced with the anguish of what lay ahead, his sweat became like great drops of blood falling to the ground (Luke 22:44). It being night, this was not caused by heat but the cold sweat of fear and, in having a probable panic attack, Jesus has experienced what those who are now so fearful are also enduring. Later on, after the resurrection, what happened was seen differently as a new way of life and being emerged and so it may be for us if we find the faith to trust that it will. God is at work amidst all the consternation being provoked and faith in him will not fail, whatever the lessons of history and today show us about humanity – though there may be difficulties sourcing even mustard seeds as the challenges with the supply chain continue!

With my prayers; pob bendith,

Christine, Guardian. 

Adlewyrchiad am y 16 ed ddydd Sul ar ol y Drindod.

“Dywedodd yr apostolion wrth yr Arglwydd; “Cynydda ein Ffydd”.

o Lewc 17:5-11, NRSV.

CHARLES III DGREXFD Ysgrifen Lladin sef – Y Brenin Charles III, wrth ras Duw, Gwarchodwr y Ffudd – ar yr arian yr argraffwyd ar hyd ei Frenhinaeth.

Yn Efengyl heddiw, mae ei ddisgyblion yn gofyn i’r Iesu gynyddu eu ffydd, a hyn ar adeg pryd mae popeth mae’n ei wneud a’n ei ddeud yn cael sylw craff. Mae’r straeon mae’n eu adrodd yn ddyrys a mae’r disgyblion yn anesmwyth ar ol rhybydd i gymeryd ofal. Pryd gofynnent am fwy o ffydd , mae’r Iesu’n awgrymu fod ffydd dim ond o faint haden fwstad yn ddigonol – yr hyn maen”t ei angen yw ffydd, nid ynddynt eu hunain, ond mewn Duw enfawr. Ar ol canlyniadau bler polisiau ariannol y llywodraeth ar yr economi yr wythnos yma, ar adeg pryd roedd pryderon yn barod yn codi am gostau byw dros y gaeaf, dyma adeg pryd mae angen ffydd yn y dyfodol ond mae llawer un mor ddryslyd heddiw ag oedd y disgyblion adeg hynny.

Soniodd y Brenin newydd am ei ffydd Anglicaidd yn ei araith i’r wlad ar ol ei esgyniad; “Yn y ffydd hwnnw a’r gwerthoedd mae’n ysbrydoli, cefais fy magu i werthfawrogi cyfrifoldeb tuag at eraill, ac i barchu’n fawr y traddodiadau gwerthfawr, rhyddid a chyfrifoldebau o’n hanes unigryw a’n strwythr o lywodraeth seneddol.” Fel gyda phob brenin, ers i’r Pab Leo X enwebu Harri VII gyda’r teitl, mi fydd yr arian yn ystod brenhinaeth Charli wedi eu argraffu gyda “F.D.” – sef Fidel Defensor – a roddwyd i Harri am amddiffyn Catholigaeth Rhufeinig cyn iddo ymbellhau ym 1530. Cychwynodd hyn mewn oes cythryblus iawn ac efallai dysgwn wersi oddiwrth hanes, yn ein oes chwildroadol ninnau.

Adeg hynny, fel yn awr, anogodd yr Iesu iddynt ddefnyddio y ffydd yn Nuw roedd eisioes gyda nhw, yn eu atgoffa fod mymryn bach o ffydd yn medru cael effaith rhyfeddol. Prynte gennym ffydd yn Nuw neu beidio, mae “ffydd” yn ei amryw ystyr, yn y newyddion y penwythnos yma, gyda’r papur Sul Observer yn honni i bleidleiswyr adael y Toriaid wrth i ffydd yn eu gallu economaidd ostwng. Mae’n amlwg fod fwy o ansicrwydd a helbul o’n blaenau a mi fydd angen ffyddlondeb ac amynedd beth bynag a ddaw, boed e’n ffydd crefyddol neu’n ffydd seciwlar. Mae hynny’n herio ni gyd ac efallai fod geiriau Mam Theresa yn addas; “ mi wn na fydd Duw yn rhoi i mi yr hyn na fedraf dderbyn, ond erfynaf arno beidio ac ymddiried ynof gymaint.”

Ta waeth, yng nghalon Cristnogaeth yw’r Un a drigodd gyda’r Ddynol Ryw ac a brofodd yr holl mae hynny’n ei olygu. Roedd hyd yn oed yr Iesu yn dioddef angau ysbrydol, meddyliol a chorfforol yng ngardd Gesthemane, pryd, yn wynebu yr hyn oedd o’i flaen, aeth ei chwys yn debyg i ddiferion mawr o waed yn syrthio i’r ddaear (Lewc 22;44) Gan ei fod yn ystod y nos, cafodd hyn ei achosi, nid gan gwres ond gan ofn oeraidd, ac, drwy ddioddef panig, mae’r Iesu hefyd wedi profi yr hyn mae rhai mor ofnus hefyd yn dioddef heddiw. Yn hwyrach, ar ol yr atgyfodiad, mi ddatblygodd ffordd newydd o fyw a bod ac efallai fydd hyn yn wir

i ninnau os y medrwn ddarganfod y ffydd i gredu a mi ddaw. Mae Duw ar waith ymhlith yr holl ofnau sy’n codi a na fethith ffydd ynddo Ef, beth bynnag mae gwersi hanes a’r sefyllfa heddiw yn dysgu ni am y Ddynol Ryw – er, o bosib, bydd yn anodd cael gafael ar hadau mwstad os fydd y duedd presennol yn parhau!

Gyda fy’ngweddiau,

Pob Bendith,

Christine, Gwarcheidwad.

Reflection for the Fifteenth Sunday after Trinity

As the Guardian is currently away, today’s reflections are those given during Sunday’s service by Christopher Belk, a worship leader in the Mission Area. The talks he gave are based on the readings for the day, Jeremiah 32, 1-2, 6-15, Psalm 91 and Luke 16, 19-31. Thanks go to Christopher for agreeing to do this. 

Talk 1 This rather strange story may be hard to understand, but is very interesting and maybe topical. Here is Jeremiah, effectively in prison for having made unwelcome (though true) prophecies of doom, namely that Jerusalem and its environs was about to be conquered by King Nebuchadnezzar and all the people carried off to Babylon. Probably Anathoth, which is about 3 miles outside Jerusalem, had already been ravaged by the invading force, and we see from later verses that siege ramps were already being set up against Jerusalem itself. Imagine yourself as a Ukrainian inhabitant of Mariupol, with the Russians advancing and most of the buildings flattened by shellfire. Out of the blue you are asked to pay good money for a conveyance of a ruin, with all the legal formalities.

In Jeremiah’s case, he knew not only that the land was effectively worthless (to be fair, the price he paid does not seem to have been very high), but that he would never get to enjoy it himself. Leviticus 25 tells us about the procedure for selling land to a kinsman if you were hard up. The kinsman was bound to buy it, but the value depended on how many years to go to the next Jubilee Year, which happened every 50 years. If the original owner had not bought it back before that, in that year the land had to be transferred back to him free. So whenever the next Jubilee was, it would have been before expiration of the 70 years of captivity in Babylon, a period prophesied by Jeremiah, correctly as usual.

The point is that Jeremiah’s prophecies were not quite all of doom. He also foresaw the return of the exiles which happened under Cyrus 70 years later, though obviously not soon enough for most of his listeners at the time.. He arranged for the purchase deeds to be stored in a safe place, where hopefully they still were when his cousin or his family returned and could claim their land. This he did to show his confidence in what God had told him. Jeremiah himself died during the exile period, but Jewish tradition says Baruch did survive that long, though by then he must have been over 90 and was rather heavy and not fit enough for the journey back. We can hopefully assume he was able to tell the family where the deeds were.

So today we seem to be faced with doom laden prophecies once again: Covid may break out afresh, climate change is going to make the world uninhabitable, Russia may wipe more and more countries off the map, the refugee problem will escalate, Government seems not to know how to solve our economic crisis, more and more people may have to choose between heat and food. There are plenty of Jeremiahs around to emphasise the problems, though not many to tell us any message of hope.

What we still have is Psalm 91, which many think was written by King David at the time when there was an epidemic resulting from his disobeying God in listing all the people. It has been much quoted during the recent/current pandemic, but is of universal application in times like these.

Talk 2 Here we have another story, not strange and indeed uncomfortably familiar. How often has it been used to support cries for redistribution of wealth on a fairer basis, not least in response to Mr. Kwarteng’s plans for the country’s economy. But I humbly suggest that this was not Jesus main theme. When he was asked what was the greatest commandment he replied that the most important was to love God with all ones heart, soul, mind and strength, and loving your neighbour as yourself was the second, though it follows from the first. This passage follows on from others dealing with the right attitude to property: Luke 15 has the story of the Prodigal Son: the father in that story was clearly wealthy but did not land in hell. Then in Luke 16 is the story of the crooked manager who got the sack, but used such money influence as he had for the benefit of others, admittedly with his own interests in mind. No suggestion there that his rich boss would land in hell either. Of course there was one rich young man who was told to sell all he had, give to the poor, and follow Jesus. Then there was Zacchaeus, who apparently only had to sell half of what he owned and could carry on his business but had to give up cheating. So what was the difference? 

It seems that riches are not as such incompatible with loving God, and indeed many of today’s mega rich devote large parts of their fortunes to charity. Our late Queen was at one time the richest person in the world, but knew where her priorities should be and valued everyone she met, however poor or humble. Jesus did say that, for a rich person, entering the kingdom of God is far from easy though not impossible. However rich or poor we may individually be, there is no doubt that the more material comfort we enjoy the less we are forced to rely on God, or think about the needs of our neighbours. It may be that the rich man who had Lazarus for a neighbour paid all his taxes and even gave to charity, and may have thought it perfectly OK to sit back and relax, until it was too late. So we need I think to dare to pray each day that God will show us to whom we are being called to be a neighbour, whether with time or money or just friendship, at long range through other charities or at close range with our friends and family and those we perhaps need to notice more than we do. Nobody suggests that the original Good Samaritan was either rich or poor: he just did what he could with what he had for who he met.

In place of our usual Sunday reflection, here is Bishop Gregory’s pastoral letter in English and Welsh.

Please note that, as all are invited to the service of thanksgiving for the Queen being held on Sunday 18th September at 3.30 in the Cathedral, the service of reflection at St Melangell’s will be held at 11am instead to facilitate this.

Christine, Guardian.