Wednesday 29th April | Chris Elder
Readings
Reflection
For me the lockdown has been a breeze: I can work from home, spend lots of time with the family (a real blessing to have both boys home from university), and I talk with friends and family more than ever. So, in many ways change has been good, but I have found myself challenged in other ways.
In the passage from Luke we see two apparently ordinary, lowly women re-uniting. But it’s no ordinary meeting as we hear that Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit and addresses Mary as the ‘mother of my Lord’. Mary is overjoyed, for God has given her a most special task, and of course whilst we share in her joy, we know that she will face some very tough times ahead, not least to see her son suffer a painful and shameful death on the cross.
In the Magnificat that follows, we can see her joy and thankfulness, but also her stance for social justice: … he has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. I wonder if Mary ‘home schooled’ these virtues of social justice with Jesus?
Mary is telling me today that God is not only faithful and true but wants fairness in the world. It’s a challenge to our values. Many of us honour our front-line workers every Thursday by clapping on our doorsteps. For both Mary and Jesus, bringing in God’s kingdom was a lifelong mission. When lockdown eases, what ‘new normal’ will we work to build? Now is the time when we need to think and pray about this.
Prayers
Today’s prayer comes from my little congregation at St John’s Sleekburn. The study group has been meeting by WhatsApp and felt frustrated at not being able to pray publicly together, so they decided they would all stand at their doors or windows every Tuesday at 7 p.m. and pray, apart yet together. They put out a call to ‘people of all faiths and none’ to join them, and people have been joining us as far away as Cyprus. These are the words we use each Tuesday.
Collect
God of compassion,
Who gave your servant Catherine of Siena
A wondrous love of the passion of Christ:
Grant that your people may be united to him in his majesty
And rejoice for ever in the revelation of his glory;
Who is alive and reigns with you,
In the unity of the Holy Spirit,
One God, now and for ever.
Amen.
