Wildflowers and weeds

April 2021 has been dry and cold. Here in the South East of England, gardens are parched and the heavy clay soil is hard and solid. Great weather for walking but no so good for growing plants. Maintaining a perfect lawn at the moment is a challenging, to say the least.

On the plus side, where the grass struggles to grow the wildflowers thrive. Bluebells, daisies, violets and forget-me-nots are a welcome sight in gardens and parks. Bright yellow dandelions flourish. Seasoned gardeners watch and wait, knowing that it will be wise to take action before their flower heads become 'dandelion clocks' shedding their seed far and wide. Both wild flowers and weeds grow effortlessly with little help from we humans.

Wildflowers and weeds appear in the teaching of  Jesus. On the one hand, we are invited to marvel at the beauty of the wild flowers that surpasses that of even the best dressed monarch. Consider the wild flowers, Jesus tells his disciples, even Solomon in all his splendour was not dressed like one of these. (Luke 12:27). On the other hand, Matthew's parable of the sower is a reminder of the risk posed to the healthy growth of seed crops by thorns and weeds.  

While the sight of wildflowers in unexpected places is a thing of beauty and a source of joy, the unchecked spread of weeds is likely to bring grief up ahead. In nature, as in the whole of life, we do well to watch for the tell tale signs and take action at the right time to avoid problems later.

Consider the wild flowers... but watch out for the weeds.

The promise of spring

Spring 2021 seemed full of promise. As lockdown restrictions eased in England, bulbs and blossom brought joy and spoke of new life. On Easter Sunday, the sun shone while churches gathered for worship. Hymns were sung at outdoor services. The vaccination programme not only met but exceeded its targets. In Shakespeare's words, the winter of our discontent seemed set to give way to glorious summer.

By the end of Easter week everything had changed. An unseasonal cold snap, the death of Prince Philip, and concerns over vaccine safety brought a creeping sense that this spring might not deliver all it had appeared to promise. It seems it will be some time before the shape of the new normal emerges and becomes a reality in daily life.

Jesus' disciples experienced something similar at the first Easter. The events of Easter Sunday promised new life. Encounters with the resurrected Christ restored faith and rekindled hope. And yet, despite the sense that everything had changed, ongoing uncertainty characterised the daily lives of those who had been closest to Jesus. The days and weeks following the resurrection proved to be a period of transition and preparation for what was to come next.

At Easter, and each spring, we celebrate new life. This year, like the early disciples, we find ourselves making our way through a period of transition as we prepare for what lies ahead. In 2021, the promise of spring may take some time to become a reality. We wait in hope.

No greater love

Photo by Ian and Wendy Sewell
http://www.ianandwendy.com/Israel

By modern standards, Jesus and his disciples didn't travel far. Jerusalem was just a couple of miles from the Bethany home of  Martha, Mary and Lazarus. The group from Galilee seem often to have stayed there on their way to the city. 

The route that Jesus walked from Jerusalem to Golgotha was even shorter. Pilgrims still travel along the six hundred metres of the Via Dolorosa. The route is marked by the stations of the cross. Four of the nine stations describe Jesus engaging with individuals that he meets along the way. Two of those encounters are mentioned in the gospels while the others have their roots in church tradition.

The Stations of the Cross represent a spiritual journey for both Jesus and for the latter day pilgrims who follow his path. The journey is a very human one. The encounters with Simon of Cyrene, Mary, Veronica, and the women of Jerusalem are a reminder of all that drove Jesus throughout his life. Even as he walked to his death, Jesus reached out to those he met with compassion and love.

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. John 15:13

Lest we forget

 

Photo by Eva Dang on Unsplash

Today is the first anniversary of the imposition of lockdown restrictions in Britain. At midday the nation will pause for a minute of silence. As hopes of the end of the current lockdown grow it is again time to remember all that has been lost and all that has been endured in the past year.

Yesterday, March 22nd, was the fourth anniversary of the terror attacks on Westminster Bridge. Survivors of that attack are asking for the installation of a plaque on the bridge to honour those who died that day. For those most affected, remembering is an important part of grieving. 

In the Christian calendar, last Sunday was Passion Sunday. Four weeks of Lent have passed and, in company with Jesus and his first disciples, we turn our faces to Jerusalem. Before celebrating the joy of the Resurrection there must be time to remember death, loss and sacrifice. This year, as we remember the great love of God shown to the world through the Easter story, our celebrations and remembering will somehow be different. the past year with all its losses has changed us all. This Passiontide we will remember and promise together never to forget what has been endured and sacrificed in this year of pandemic.

Lockdown losses...and gains

Water Lilies Embroidery
Lockdown project 2020

 A year has passed. Britain has spent eight of the last twelve months living in lockdown. For most of the year, news reports have been shaped by a litany of limitation, loneliness, and loss. A year of living with uncertainty and restrictions on daily life has brought exhaustion. Frustrations have at times boiled over and tempers have frayed. Even now, with the end on the horizon, there is a sense that we have all been living lives of quiet desperation.

There is another story to be told though. A story of courage, community, and creativity. Faced with the need to stay home, we have found positive ways to pass the time. Elderly people and young cancer patients have found ways to raise funds for the NHS. Workers on furlough have volunteered to deliver food parcels, cook meals, collect prescriptions, and check in on those unable to leave their homes. Creative endeavours of all kinds have flourished. Home improvement projects and hobbies offered a focus in uncertain times. 

Few will mourn the ending of 'lockdown life'. Limitation, loneliness, and loss have shaped our lives for too long. We have missed spending time with those outside our own households. Each of us looks forward to getting back to doing the things we most enjoy. As Christians we have felt real loss at the inability to gather as a community of faith. 

As we celebrate our new found freedom in the coming months it would be easy to forget the positive aspects of what may be the most unusual year of our lives. A year in which courage, community, and creativity flourished in the face of adversity. A year that might change us forever.

How long, O Lord, how long?

Photo by Matthew Ball on Unsplash

On March 11 2020, the World Health Organisation declared the coronavirus that was spreading across the globe a pandemic. One year on COVID-19 still threatens the physical and mental health of millions across the world. It has been a challenging year. 

Mental health matters are a hot topic of discussion. In these difficult days, at times the pressures felt by individuals often seem overwhelming. Campaigns aimed at raising awareness of the scale of the problem appear daily in the news media. At every level, we are encouraged to recognise the signs of mental distress and to do what we can to support each other.

Mental anguish is not a new phenomenon. Those who wrote the Hebrew scriptures knew all about the despair that comes from living in difficult times. Psalm 6 describes the anguish of a soul worn down by weeping. 

How long, O Lord, how long?

Crying out for mercy, this troubled individual reaches for God. Although there is neither a direct reply or, seemingly, any change in the writer's circumstances, the simple act of reaching out in prayer changes everything.

The Lord has heard my cry for mercy; the Lord accepts my prayer.

Trusting that God will not fail to answer the prayers of one who suffers, the psalmist finds the strength to journey on in hope. As our journey continues we too reach out to the God who has promised never to leave us or desert us. From the place of deep distress, we echo the ancient call, knowing that our cries do not go unheard and that our prayer will be accepted.

Voices from the wilderness

Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash

 A voice cries:“In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Isaiah 40:3

Budget Day. A year ago today Rishi Sunak, who had been in post for just a matter of weeks, presented his first Budget. Two weeks later Britain entered what turned out to be the first of three lockdowns. Then, as now, the Christian church was in the season of Lent. COVID-19 was about to lead us all into a 'wilderness experience' that has changed pretty much everything.

As the official 'Stay at Home-Protect the NHS-Save Lives' message took hold of the nation and social distancing became the 'new normal', video calling quickly became a way of life.  With news programmes keen to interview just about everyone with an opinion to share or a story to tell, the voice of anyone with access to the appropriate equipment and a reliable internet connection could now be heard.  

Today's budget statement will be watched with interest. Many voices will be heard as the proposals are dissected by the media. Amidst the clamour for support for hard hit businesses, other voices are at risk of going unheard. In the coming days there will be both changes to negotiate and opportunities to grasp. Nothing will be the same again but, for those with ears to hear and eyes to see, this is to be welcomed rather than feared.

Lockdown#3 brought with it not only a weariness but a growing concern that we have not done well in listening to the already disadvantaged in our midst. As we slowly make our way to the next 'new normal', listening to the voices crying in the wilderness might just be the start in shaping the future we will share.