Our online Advent Calendar was to herald Christmas Day with the final word Alleluia! and its images but a misunderstanding meant that the Christmas card had some of those photos attached instead and Alleluia! didn’t arrive. There was some confusion as Advent began on November 30th and so the 25th image was on Christmas Eve, when appropriately Birth/New Beginnings would have lead to Alleluia! on the Day itself, 26. Hopefully, Alleluia! was said or sung at some point anyway!
Today’s focus is very far from Alleluia! as it focuses on the Flight into Egypt and the Massacre of the Innocents, when baby boys under two years of age were killed on King Herod’s orders. Estimates vary as to whether the children involved numbered ten or twelve through to thousands as Herod tried to get rid of the child called the King of the Jews by the wise men from the East, who had presumed he would be born in a palace and so came to Herod seeking him. Herod’s jealousy, which caused the bloodshed of those tiny victims and the anguish of their families, was actually in vain as Jesus and his family had already fled, with Joseph being warned in a dream that they must leave and take refuge in Egypt.
From the time of Moses Egypt had been seen as a place of oppression for Jews, who were taken into slavery there, but it now became a sanctuary for the Messiah, who remains for two years until the death of Herod. Egypt was beyond Herod’s power but it and Judea were part of the Roman Empire and linked by a coastal road which facilitated travel between them. The time the Holy Family spent there fulfils a prophecy in Hosea 11:1 quoted by Matthew: ‘Out of Egypt have I called my son,’ as does a second verse from Jeremiah 31:15, ‘A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children.’ It also establishes links between Moses, who delivers the Jews to freedom, and Jesus who, after being a refugee, can return to set his people free later on. In Joseph’s second dream, he is told that Herod has died and that it’s safe for the family to return but, when Joseph learns that cruel Archelaus has succeeded his father, he is afraid to return to Judea and a third dream tells him to go to Galilee. In making Nazareth their home, Matthew suggests that a third prophecy has been fulfilled, ‘He will be called a Nazarene’, though no direct Old Testament quote supports this. What is significant is that Joseph’s three dreams and their messages enable survival and guidance at a time of danger – Jesus survives where so many others did not due to Herod’s insecurity and political machinations.
Matthew is the only Gospel writer to include the Flight into Egypt, possibly because he refers to Jesus later as the New Moses. However, it’s important to know that, in our own days of controversy over refugees and immigrants, Jesus was himself in need of refuge and was caught up in politics, violence and displacement then as are so many now. Amidst the cosy and familiar stories of angels, shepherds and the manger are these darker accounts of persecution, death and flight – all part of the same Christmas story and of what God’s son and his family endured. Perhaps we shouldn’t be too surprised that this is part of our world and story today, too?
Apologies for this being late – the weekend’s surprises ironically impacted on the time available to complete it!
’The time came for her to deliver her child.’ Luke, of Mary, in his Gospel, chapter 2:1-16.
‘I must say that searching through my photos is bringing back some lovely memories.’ Sue, one of the daily contributors to the Advent-ure.
The onIine Advent Calendar seen in full on our website and daily on FaceBook will end this week as the countdown to Christmas Day finishes. Each day, images have been seen from many different locations and various countries and it’s been fascinating to see the interpretations of the changing words on the journey of Advent-ure each day. Weary varied from the Knife Angel, made in Oswestry of blades actually used to wound people, to a tired sheep sleeping at the door; creation featured images such as a rose, an embroidered cushion and a gingerbread house; hope focussed from snowdrops to a bride and groom; good news had images ranging from the resurrection and the Holy Spirit through to a car park payment machine being out of order! The photos were varied, thought-provoking and sometimes humorous, showing images in the UK, from countries in Eastern Europe, Colorado and Washington in America. Our thanks to all who have contributed as well as to those who have commented on the images and memories shown and to Karen, who has arranged and posted them.
Advent calendars originated as Adventskalendar with German Lutherans in the 19th century as a prayerful reminder to count the days in preparation for Christmas. Nowadays, their popularity has changed, but often for commercial reasons with each window containing chocolate or cheese, cosmetics, alcohol, perfume and a host of items, some costing a small fortune. Most are a long way from the original religious picture and Bible verse depicted to aid prayer and spiritual preparation on the day they were opened. Perhaps it’s a statement of the perplexing times we’re living through that people need an instant, daily treat and that Advent, the time of waiting, has often been eclipsed with Christmas decorations being put up in some cases before Advent itself has begun – more than a month before the Day.
However, Advent calendars are a reminder of the importance of each day, echoed by my elderly aunt who wrote in her Christmas card, ‘I’m conscious of the clock ticking.’ Every day holds its hopes, its challenges and perhaps its perils – and that doesn’t end just because the joy of Christmas dawns. The clock is ticking for all of us but the story of the first Christmas may encourage as well as enlighten us. When the time was right, at full term after her pregnancy, Mary gave birth to Jesus with the support of Joseph, who was at first minded to ‘put her away privily’. In other words, he had concerns about her mental health – understandably, when he was told that the Holy Spirit had made her pregnant. Joseph and Mary both had to wait trustfully and live with the shame and gossip of her condition until the reality of her words was shown. In the fullness of time, the truth became clear – but was then followed by two years having to be spent in Egypt as refugees. Who would have thought it? God’s purposes are not always clear and often involve surprise, waiting for realisation to dawn and practical human response. So it is for us today and, at this time of the Solstice, the shortest day when daylight begins grow longer, we also await what may be unfolding in our lives. Thanks be to God for the gift of time as well as choices about using it and may the growing length of days reveal more fully what Jesus the Light of the World comes to show us.
“Are you the one who is to come or are we to wait for another?” John the Baptist to Jesus, in today’s Gospel Matthew 11:2-11.
‘Joy does not simply happen to us. We have to choose joy and keep choosing it every day.’ Henri Nouwen, in his book ‘Here and Now’.
Today is Gaudete Sunday, the name originating from the opening sentence of the Latin mass: Gaudete in Domino semper – Rejoice in the Lord always. It marks a turning point from the solemn and and penitential nature of Advent towards the joy of Christmas as it draws nearer – pink vestments and candles are often used instead of the usual purple as the season lightens. Rejoice! is therefore today’s word for the online Advent calendar, followed by Creation, Wonder, Authority, Weary, King and Good News.
However, today’s Gospel contrasts with Rejoice! for John the Baptist is now in prison where he will eventually be beheaded. He sends a message to Jesus, asking if he is the one awaited or whether another will come – John is clearly pondering his life and ministry as he awaits his fate. That is not yet sealed, but Jesus isn’t doing what was expected of the promised Messiah – Rome is still powerful, Herod is still corrupt and the reason John is in prison for confronting him, with the Kingdom of Israel not yet restored as anticipated. Many are still oppressed and imprisoned or expecting a powerful Messiah who will overcome all this. John, this mighty and fearless prophet, is having doubts as so little seems to have changed.
In reply, Jesus simply points to what happens wherever he goes – the blind see, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised and good news is preached to the poor. Jesus quotes from Isiah 35, 1-10, the Old Testament reading for today and also the passage he had read in the synagogue at Nazareth when he began his ministry. The prophecy of Isaiah, eight hundred years before, is being fulfilled in Jesus and John, who had spent his life preparing the way for him, is being reminded of what may have become obscured in the gloom of his prison cell. Lives are being changed and scripture is being fulfilled – but in God’s way and God’s time, regardless of what his followers expect or long for. This message doesn’t change John’s circumstances, but it can give him hope and peace of mind to realise that his work has not been in vain despite its curtailing through his imprisonment.
John’s example and Jesus’ reply may hearten us as we also face understandable doubts about, or curtailment of, life and faith in a world of so much suffering and uncertainty today. John, the Forerunner, questions Jesus’ earthly ministry and is killed before the resurrection, the ascension and Pentecost – in contrast, we are blessed to live in a post-Easter faith which can be the source of joy and hope whatever is happening around us. Today, we are commanded to Rejoice! – it’s an imperative, not a choice! To choose to look for joy is an option not always taken and yet it can transform and change lives – see the animation of The Grumpy Owl and the Joy of Christmas on the Church of England’s website or YouTube for a children’s tale about joy which may delight weary adults too. Rejoice! If that’s hard today, perhaps these verses in Philippians 4:4-7 might be a good starting point:
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice. Let your forbearance be known to all, for the Lord is near at hand; have no anxiety about anything, but in all things, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be known to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
‘Hark! A herald voice is calling.’ AnAdvent hymn’s first line.
‘God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains; it is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.’ C.S. Lewis.
Thank you to all those who have sent in images for the online Advent Calendar forming on St Melangell’s website or Face Book pages. The photos sent in this week included snapshots from America, Bulgaria, Poland, Turkey, Suffolk, the Black Country, and Wales with all of them providing fascinating glimpses of different journeys and daily lives. This week’s words are Hark! Rest, Night, Travel, Shepherd, Explore and Hope.
Today’s word, Hark! – an older word for Listen! – is not easy to depict visually and it may be that particular music or sounds might form an alternative suggestion for people to listen to wherever they are. The birdsong here is astounding and identifying what birds are making which cries can be greatly helped by the free Merlin app – others are available! – just as the military planes practising low flying here from RAF Valley also accompany the journey as this Advent-ure continues. Today, any suggestions of sounds to Harken or Listen to will be posted as well as any images if they are sent.
Hark! has become associated with John the Baptist, being the first word of the Advent hymn about him dating from the 6th century – just before the time St Melangell is thought to have lived. Matthew doesn’t mention that John is related to Jesus, as Luke does, but refers to his austere lifestyle with its diet of locusts and wild honey with clothing of camel skin and a leather belt. Living in the wilderness of Judea, in the Jordan valley to the west of the Dead Sea, John the Baptist is sometimes called the Forerunner as he calls those willing to listen to him to prepare the way of the Lord, to repent and be baptised as a sign of this.
As the second week of Advent begins, who are the Forerunners in our lives today? Who or what has helped to shape or prepare us for our journey in life? Who or what has called us to repent or change our ways – or have we asked that of someone? John’s message was harsh and uncompromising but religious people such as the Pharisees and Sadducees were flocking to hear him, even though John called them a brood of vipers – yet they had no need of baptism being observant Jews. Total immersion was reserved for Gentiles, so were they curious about John and coming to hear him for that reason or did they realise that perhaps they needed to change their ways or had begun to take their faith for granted? Might that apply to us, too, today?
These are hard challenges to face but Advent is a hopeful time to listen to what is being said or harken to silence which can be eloquent. If and when we do, it may be that, as the Advent-ure continues and leads into Christmas, we can also whole-heartedly proclaim, “Hark! The herald angels sing glory to the new born King.”
Today’s reflection is the Advent pastoral message from the Bishop of St Asaph, who has asked for this to be read throughout the diocese. Hopefully, it will give food for thought further afield too!
ESGOB LLANELWY
THE Bishop of St ASAPH
For use on Advent Sunday 30th November 2025
Dear Friends
Advent Pastoral Message from the Bishop of St Asaph
When I was growing up, my parents were great fans of pop music. They particularly liked the crooners – the singers of the great ballads. One of the songs that I remember from my childhood is
“What the World needs now is love, sweet love,
Not just for some but for everyone… “
In our diocesan life, we’re concentrating on the third part of our diocesan mission. That we are called to be people who demonstrate love. It’s a lovely phrase, because it’s not just about feeling love or even showing love. It’s about proving love in action.
There’s another song which is used in our hymns and it’s written by a 17th century Christian: My Song is Love Unknown.
“My song is love unknown –
my Saviour’s love to me;
Love to the loveless shown,
That they might lovely be.”
As Christians we show love, not just out of sense of common humanity or to be sociable but because we believe that God loves us and therefore everyone is worthy of being a receipt of love: Love to the loveless shown; that they might lovely be.
In the end, the real value of a church will be shown by its ability to transform lives. Love to the loveless show that they might lovely be. And I want to encourage us in this year of demonstrating love to be churches which push the boundaries. We might be very good at embracing people already; we might be resting on our laurels a little. But this year, let’s make every one of our churches in the diocese, known for the quality of love they show to others. What better celebration could there be of the Christmas message that God loved the world so much that he gave us his only son?
“If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” The soldiers at the foot of the cross in today’s Gospel, Luke 23:33-43.
“Royalty is not about being served. It’s about serving.” Queen Elizabeth ll.
Today is the feast of Christ the King, whose values contrast sharply with more traditional images of kingship, power and authority. As shown in the Gospel, this is not a king clad in fine robes but naked on the cross, his scarred body bearing the marks of the terrible suffering he has already endured. His crown has been fashioned of thorns, not gold or jewels, and there is no fine ring on his hands, such as a bishop wears. Rather, nails pierce his wrists and pin him to the wooden cross that is his throne whilst around him are not courtiers but criminals, soldiers and spectators who mock him.
And yet, above this terrible sight, the Kingship of Jesus is proclaimed as the Roman Governor, Pontius Pilate, has had inscribed on the cross INRI – Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum, Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews. This is written in Latin, Hebrew and Greek and is a term used by Gentiles such as the Magi at Jesus’ birth (Matthew 2:2) and the Roman soldiers, whereas Jews in the New Testament would have used the title King of Israel. But, regardless of arguments over his kingship, true kingly authority is shown in the encounter with one of the two criminals hanging beside Jesus. The unrepentant thief taunts Jesus but the one who is penitent has, at the last minute, come to recognise his need of forgiveness and he asks Jesus to, “Remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Having been mocked by the soldiers, who tell him to save himself if he really is the King of the Jews, in his final moments Jesus shows his kingly authority by saving the sinner beside him. He tells him he will be with him that day in Paradise and, at a time when he might be completely preoccupied with his own agony, Jesus shows his kingship in the care he gives to others. In the midst of hatred, derision and suffering, words of faith, compassion and hope are heard. What a King is this!
It may be surprising to have the Gospel focus on the crucifixion on the last Sunday of the Church’s year, but as Year C draws to a close, it’s a reminder that the reign of Christ the King depends on our contribution too as Christians follow his example and shape their response to the petition in the Lord’s Prayer, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as in heaven.” This year is the centenary of the introduction of this feast, which Pope Pius XI began in 1925 as a response to growing secularism and atheism. Today, with some rulers of the world still exercising power in a way that may undermine democracy or enforce their own authority to the detriment of their peoples, the message and example of Christ the King serves as a potent reminder of the Kingdom being ushered in. In an age of growing secularism, Jesus serves as an unlikely King on the improbable throne of the cross showing all who are willing to consider it the astounding way of God’s love for all humanity. Jesus dies a death he did not deserve for those who turn to him to find what they do not deserve: the Kingdom. And, as the collect suggests, at this tumultuous time, it’s more important than ever that we pray, Almighty God, whose will is to restore all things in your beloved Son, the King of all: govern the hearts and minds of those in authority and bring the families of the nations, divided and torn apart by the ravages of sin, to be subject to his just and gentle rule. As we do, we may recall times when we have been neither just nor gentle in dealing with ourselves or others – or have been treated by them – and much may be churned up as we consider the situations we are in, as well as those of this world’s rulers. But then, this is also Stir Up Sunday and much more is being stirred up than Christmas cakes and puddings! Usually, their mixing is followed by a wish – why not use a prayer instead?
Stir up, we beseech you O Lord, the wills of your faithful people; that they, plenteously bringing forth the fruit of good works, may by you plenteously rewarded, through
“You will be betrayed by parents and brothers, by relatives and friends…” Jesus, in today’s Gospel Luke 21:5-19.
“You don’t know who you might be helping….. It gave us our lives back.” Edward, one of those supported by Children in Need.
Today is Safeguarding Sunday, a campaign organised by Thirtyone:eight to highlight national awareness regarding the protection of vulnerable children and adults. This Christian charity takes its unusual name from Proverbs 31:8 and its advice to, “Speak out on behalf of the voiceless and for the rights of all who are vulnerable.” The theme this year is Action Speaks Louder, encouraging the development of good practice, real change and the building of safer churches, families and communities.
The Church of England has recently received much negative publicity regarding safeguarding issues, just as the Church in Wales has also been in the news for related adverse incidents in Swansea and Brecon as well as at Bangor Cathedral and in other places. It’s a reminder to us all that safeguarding involves current events and not just the historic incidents of regular abuse which were sometimes tolerated or covered up. As some of the adverse publicity shows, the owning of wrongdoing and the learning of lessons from terrible mistakes has been painful in an organisation charged with bringing light, hope and safety to those who turn to it. The Church has sometimes not responded well to allegations made when abuse has been disclosed but the resignation of the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has indicated how seriously safeguarding is now being taken. Whilst that may bring little comfort to those who have suffered so greatly and whose voices have sometimes not been heard, perhaps it may help to know that measures are in place to safeguard the vulnerable in churches, their schools and chaplaincies and all clergy and post holders now have regular training in safeguarding and best practice.
Jesus spoke uncompromisingly of the need for care and protection of the vulnerable: “If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were fastened around your neck and you were drowned in the depth of the sea.” Matthew 18.6. In today’s Gospel, he also warns that, “You will be betrayed by parents and brothers, by relatives and friends…” and, although he is talking about the cost of following him then, abuse has been part of this for some who have come to church and not been safeguarded when it was needed.
This, however, is a hard subject as abuse occurs in homes, schools, community groups and places of work as well as churches. Support for the abused and the need to prevent recurrence are both needed but the church has also to be able to minister forgiveness along with healing, and mercy along with justice. Much of the recent adverse publicity has also overlooked the faithful outreach and welcome that many churches have safely provided over the years. And it’s not just in churches that Action Speaks Louder – many community challenges still lie ahead as responsibility is shared in seeking to protect, nurture and safeguard those around us.
Many positive things are resulting too and one person who has taken decisive action is Sarah Cox, the Radio 2 Presenter, who raised awareness as well asat least £9,523,028 in five daysby taking Pudsey Bear to Pudsey in her daily marathons. As she said, “There’s a lot of bad stuff goes on in the world and Children in Need just reminds you that there’s so much more good.” The amount Sarah raised shows the agreement and will of those supporting her with many turning out to cheer her on and raise money for such a worthy cause. Whatever lies ahead, there can be so much more good to celebrate in churches, communities and lives committed to compassion, care and safeguarding. Action Speaks Louder…..
“I’m so sorry. It’s been tearing me apart….. I feel so bad…. All that lying, all that treachery. It was worth it wasn’t it?”
These are the words of Alan Carr, the comedian who won Celebrity Traitors this week. 19 celebrities started out, with the Faithful trying to work out who were Traitors for a prize pot totalling £87,500. Time after time, Faithfuls were banished or murdered with players not having the benefit of the day’s edited highlights and the final episode featured a mission, lies, plotting and counter plots leading eventually to changes of heart and strategy. And so, a Traitor won and a Neuroblastoma Charity for which he has been a faithful ambassador for many years benefitted from the money and the publicity generated as truth eventually prevailed.
The word Traitor may have different resonances this Remembrance Sunday, with William Joyce, known as Lord Haw Haw, being famous for his broadcasts aimed at undermining British morale during World War II, for which he was executed as a traitor in 1946. Warrant Officer Raymond Davies Hughes, from Mold in Flintshire, was known as the Welsh Lord Haw Haw for broadcasting Nazi propaganda in Welsh to troops fighting in the Mediterranean and for other treacherous activities, although he also claimed to have inserted covert pro-Welsh sentiments into the Lord’s Prayer. The non-Welsh speakers working him were unable to detect this so Davies Hughes was only court martialled and sentenced to hard labour, being fortunate to avoid the death penalty. The double agent Arthur Owens from West Wales may also have treacherously liaised with the Nazis as well as enabling MI5 to supply the German Secret Service with false information during the war years. Double standards, deception, plotting and betrayal were played out for real, and often only came to light much later – at the time, it was often hard to discern skilled traitors alongside many who continued faithfully and loyally to obey orders, to do what they could and, in many cases, make the ultimate sacrifice for freedom.
The Duke of Wellington suggested that the Battle of Waterloo was won on the playing fields of Eton and in 1892, the poem Vitaï Lampada, meaning the torch of life, was written by Sir Henry Newbolt following the unsuccessful attempt at rescuing General Gordon and others besieged in Khartoum. Its second verse reflects this spirit as the defensive square formed by soldiers in the Sudan was ruptured:
The sand of the desert is sodden red –
Red with the wreck of the square that broke.
The Gatling’s jammed and the colonel dead,
And the regiment blind with dust and smoke.
The river of death has brimmed its banks,
And England’s far and Honour a name,
But the voice of a schoolboy rallies the ranks-
“Play up! Play up! And play the game!”
Play the game. As the poet Robert Brooke urged his friends, “Come and die. It will be great fun.” Sadly for Brooke, he was sent off to the Dardanelles where, instead of dying in hail of bullets which he thought would be heroic, he actually died of an infected mosquito bite on the way to Gallipoli. Fun it was not. Yet, as many declared at the time,“Play up, it’s just a game.”
But is it? During the game of Celebrity Traitors, one of the players declared herself to be flabbergasted by what was happening and a Traitor, Cat, declared herself to have been hoodwinked by a Faithful, Joe. Hoodwinked is an ancient word of Anglo Saxon origin, indicating use of a head covering such as a hood or scarf to blindfold a person accused of treachery or deceit. At the National Memorial Arboretum, there is a poignant image of a blindfolded young man, erected in memory of the many who were shot for cowardice, then regarded as a betrayal of duty and service. Nowadays, it’s recognised that many of these petrified men were young lads scared out of their wits and often having shell shock. Hoodwinked youngsters were often shot as an example to others who might themselves want to flee. But, as many thought, the war was at first expected to be over by Christmas 1914 and would be a bit of a lark and adventure. Play up, play the game.
That was perhaps so with some of the men whose names are on these memorials and with so many other ordinary people who, nevertheless, stepped up and made an extraordinary response to the reality of what was unfolding before them. Today is a time to remember those who died in both world wars and in the conflicts since, some of them still ongoing. Yet the battle against tyranny, treachery and deceit still continues as it did on a train from Doncaster a week ago when a man began stabbing passengers, some of whom were playing games on their iPhones and thought, at first, that a trick was being played on them for Hallowe’en. A game it was not.
Quick thinking by the driver, a passenger and a staff member who put himself in harm’s way, sustaining life-threatening injuries as he fought off the attacker armed with just a frying pan, meant that they undoubtedly saved lives, as did those in other situations: the two men who died protecting others in the Manchester Synagogue for instance; the bravery of Rob Burrows, the Rugby League player fundraising for a centre he would never live to see himself but which would benefit so many others with MND; Virginia Giuffre who courageously wrote of her experiences of being sex trafficked and named those she accused, including Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, yet who found doing this so painful that she took her own life. Many others also courageously endure lives of quieter heroism and defiance as they confront situations such as loneliness, illness, disability, mental health issues, or the struggle of the cost of living. In what do we put our faith and trust as we battle on in our own circumstances today?
“The devil will not win,” screamed the attacker on the Doncaster train. Whether we believe or not in an actual devil, the word evil is in the name and the power of evil and manipulation is alive and at work in our nations and communities today, as is the power of love and hope. Each of us may have to choose between them as we play our part in confronting the real issues before us and we may well encounter game playing, double standards and betrayal as we do, perhaps inflicted on us by others or sometimes inflicted on others by us. Will we “Play up, and play the game?” Have there been times when we’ve later realised that we’ve actually been flabbergasted or hoodwinked? Alan Carr wept as he won Celebrity Traitors, with real emotions breaking through into the game playing and one Faithful still calling another Judas, the Traitor who betrayed Jesus, long after filming ended. Yet, by betraying Jesus, Judas also began events that lead to the resurrection and hope prevailed eventually because of that betrayal and manipulation – that can be so in our own lives and communities too if there is the will for it to be so.
Hope also prevailed in Celebrity Traitors when the uncomfortable truth was revealed in the End Game of the series – just as each one of us is ultimately accountable for the sometimes uncomfortable truth about the reality of our life’s purpose and role playing. This echoes down the ages – “All the world’s a stage and all the men and women the players,” wrote Shakespeare in As you like it. What role is each of us playing and is our performance credible, given that we still have the gift of time and the possibility of change as we play the game of life itself? Liberty means that we have the choice not to behave as others or we may hope, that we can simply opt out of the struggle, become overwhelmed or choose appeasement rather than step up to the challenges being faced. But the prison service, the police, the NHS, the church, law and order, the climate, even freedom itself and so much more all seem to be under attack today – we’re constantly being told Britain is broken and systems aren’t working. Yet Newbolt’s Vitaï Lampada, the torch of life, has been trustingly passed down the generations into our hands and amidst the gloom, apathy and negativity that seem to be growing there are still many opportunities to celebrate the joy and hope of life itself and to do even small things to lighten the darkness and find a better way. This Remembrance Sunday, as we give thanks for the eightieth anniversary of the end of World War Two and for all those who laid down their lives at such cost for the sake of freedom, will our actions, whether varying at times as a Traitor or a Faithful to the legacy of the Fallen or our own standards, honour the sacrifice made at such cost and ensure it was and is worth it?
“Today, salvation has come to this house.” Jesus in Luke 19:1-10.
“One who makes no mistakes makes nothing.” Saint Teresa of Avila.
All Saints’ Day is usually celebrated on 1st November, but this year it’s transferred to 2nd November, so that such an important festival, marking those saints who are famous or obscure, can be commemorated on the nearest Sunday. Accordingly, All Souls’ Day, honouring those who have died, is then transferred to 3rd November. These days traditionally link the saints in heaven, the saints on earth who are still living, and those who have died, the faithful departed. This is also a time to think of those who have encouraged us in our own personal journey of faith and had an influence for good in our lives. Who might those people be?
Today’s Gospel cites an encounter in Jericho which had a great effect on the life of a man often shunned by those around him but welcomed by Jesus. Zacchaeus is a rich chief tax collector but is short and so climbs a sycamore tree to see Jesus as he passes by. When Jesus notices him, he not only knows his name but tells him that he is going to stay at his house that day. Zacchaeus is happy at this but the other onlookers around begin to grumble – and, in the thinking of the day, perhaps for good reason.
In those days tax collectors, the publicani, collected tolls and taxes on behalf of the Romans who were in occupation at the time. The Romans preferred to use locals to enforce payment because they knew the people and locality well – a chief tax collector like Zacchaeus would be in charge of a large area, employing others to gather the taxes for him, from which he would take a cut just as they did. As such, the system was open to bribery and greed, with tax collectors charging more than the actual amount to be paid to the Romans and becoming wealthy through the imposition of taxes that were unpopular and often hard to pay. As a chief tax collector, Luke writes that Zacchaeus was rich – but he was ostracised by others, who grumble when they see Jesus going to be the guest of someone regarded as a sinner for fleecing taxpayers.
However, the effect of having Jesus come to his house is immediate for Zacchaeus, who is transformed by the encounter. He declares that he will give half of his possessions to the poor and will repay four times the amount he has defrauded from others. Even as a rich man, that would represent a significant change in his personal finances and circumstances.
The name Zacchaeus means ‘righteous’ and by vowing to do this, Zacchaeus lives up to it. He makes no mention of future practice but owns the wrongs of his past and does what he can to put things right. Tax collectors are usually linked with sinners in the Bible, St Matthew formerly being one of them, and the translation of verse 8 could also be taken to mean that the crowd has misjudged Zacchaeus and that he is one who has always given alms to the poor and also compensated the defrauded. Whichever it is, it’s clear that the encounter with Jesus brings out the best in Zacchaeus, who Jesus then calls a Son of Abraham. The outcast has become included.
Is Zacchaeus a tax cheat or is he wronged by the crowd and actually a righteous man? Perhaps he is a mixture of both saint and sinner, as we probably are. As the budget draws near and many are concerned about possible increases in taxation and the cost of living, tax evasion (illegal), tax avoidance (legal), scams, cash in hand and other means available through the black economy are still ways of avoiding paying what is usually due to the government and the public purse. This All Saints’ Sunday, as we consider the blend of sinner and saint in us all, would our reaction to taxation or the other pressing issues before us eventually be as righteous as that of Zacchaeus?
“Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” Jesus, in Luke 4:16-24.
“This is the day, this is the day!” Hymn by Leslie Garrett.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus has returned to Nazareth where he grew up, having been teaching in the surrounding synagogues and countryside of Galilee. On the sabbath, he goes to synagogue in Nazareth where, as was the custom, he is asked to read from the scriptures and then speak to the congregation. The scroll handed to him is the book of Isaiah and Jesus then reads the prophet’s words proclaiming that the Spirit of the Lord is upon him, that he has been anointed to bring good news to the poor, release for the captives, recovery of sight for the blind, freedom for the oppressed and the proclamation of the year of the Lord’s favour. When he finishes reading, Jesus then states that this familiar prophecy has been fulfilled that very day in the hearing of those present. This becomes, in effect, his mission statement for the next three years and those listening to him receive what he tells them well at first, becoming astounded at what he says to them because they know him as Joseph’s son. Many of them perhaps grew up with Jesus or lived near him and it must have been hard for them to hear him proclaim these words for himself. Jesus eventually tells them that no prophet is accepted in his own hometown – this and his later challenging words reinterpreting the scriptures lead to him eventually being driven out of town by the enraged worshippers, after which Jesus goes on his way alone.
All this happens after Jesus’ baptism and the testing he faced in the wilderness but before he has chosen his first disciples so he faces all this on his own. Nevertheless, saying that these prophetic words about the Messiah have been fulfilled in him was bound to be controversial because Jesus is telling the worshippers that they are listening to their fulfilment – that very day. For them to hear that from one so familiar must have been astounding.
Like many places of worship, orthodox synagogues and many churches have a strong sense of tradition and the past, whether in the liturgy used, the old hymns sung or the ancient buildings being used for worship. Equally, there can sometimes be much emphasis on the future with concerns about falling numbers of worshippers attending services, plans for the future and how to raise money to pay the costs of what needs to be done. The past has much to teach us and the future may involve careful planning but the emphasis Jesus puts on the scriptures and what he says indicates the importance of today and this moment, now, rather than the past or what will be. This is the day, says Jesus, now is the time – but those present find what he is telling them too controversial. As he reinterprets the scriptures, this is too much for those listening – and sometimes for us, too, today. It’s easy, at times, to be preoccupied with the past or the future and to forget the urgency of the Gospel for today as we listen to it and play our part in fulfilling it as we ask God in the Lord’s Prayer to give us this day our daily bread and take it for granted that he will.
The Bible is the best selling book in history, a library of 66 different books with varying purposes such as prophecies, poetry, history, the growth of the early church and so forth. Just as Jesus chose these particular words from Isaiah to guide him and his mission, what verses might we choose for our lives today? Would those verses change at times according to the stages of our lives and situations? For God’s purposes are not only fulfilled in the life of Jesus and his understanding of God’s word then but in the lives and the possibilities facing his followers today as the search for faith, truth, hope and love continues. As Jesus reminds us as well as those who listened to him then, today is the day – but the day for what mission and purpose?
