The road to forgiveness

Matthew 6:14-15

For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Forgiveness 

A place

to which the path is full of challenges,

wrong turnings and diversions

A journey

on which there are distractions and blind alleys,

slow-moving traffic and closed lanes

A process

in which there is often more hurt than healing 

more chafing of open sores

A destination

often temporary, fleetingly won

that can move without warning

The way to forgiveness requires 

determination

a strong heart

perseverance

courage

and, above all

LOVE

Son of God

Luke 3:35-38
... son of Serug, son of Reu, son of Peleg, son of Eber, son of Shelah, son of Cainan, son of Arphaxad, son of Shem, son of Noah, son of Lamech, son of Methuselah, son of Enoch, son of Jared, son of Mahalaleel, son of Cainan, son of Enos, son of Seth, son of Adam, son of God.

Son of God

Slotted into a genealogy

that includes lots of names

familiar and unfamiliar

Jesus 

Traced right back to Adam

who was the Son of God

First in line

and last in line

Adam

Jesus

Both also known as

Son of God.

Hearing the heartbeat of God

Luke 4:1-2

The Temptation of Jesus

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over, he was famished.

Fresh from the waters of baptism

with the voice of God ringing in his ears

Knowing himself beloved of God

Jesus retreated to the wilderness

Taking his fill of communion with God

knowing that , all too soon,

everything would be changed forever

Realising that as soon as he stepped back onto

the treadmill of life -

 even before that 

the opportunity for solitude

for rest

for soaking up the pleasure of God

would be lost forever

And sure enough

Even before he emerged from the wilderness

he was offered the temptations 

of comfort, wealth and power

that sought to sabotage his mission

before it even began.

On those days when our status

as beloved of God

rests on a shaky nail

(for us - not for God!)

when we are vulnerable,

ready to give in,

when it seems

that it would be easier to use our power,

to assert our authority

in ways that trample on others’ dreams

and that would take us further

from communion with God

may we be stopped in our tracks

by the God who offers retreat

in the midst of life.

And may we know that God

resourcing and enabling us

to choose hunger over comfort

and compassion over power

and love over everything 

that seeks to diminish

the heart of God

that beats

deep within us

connecting us

with the source of all life

No matter what...

Emotional

Irrational

Passionate

Mystical

Profound

Fun-loving

Mischief-making

Loyal

Strong

Fierce

Fabulous

Loved and called

not for what we might be

but just as we are.

Women - called by God.

In celebration of women

John 11:27

Martha said to him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world.”

Martha’s confession of faith, recognising Jesus as God’s son is one of the earliest confessions recorded yet goes largely unnoticed however startling it must have been at the time.

On this International Women’s Day, I give thanks for all the Marthas in my life whose faith has been a beacon in whose light I bask.

Giving thanks today for all those women who paved a way 

and on whose shoulders I have stood...

For Sarah, Hagar, 

Rebekah, Leah,

Athaliah, Jehosheba,

Miriam, Abigail,

Gomer, Bathsheba,

Shiphrah, Puah,

Esther, Ruth,

Naomi, Anna,

Dorcas, Martha,

Mary, Elizabeth,

Julian, Hilda,

Teneu, Theresa,

Hilda, Margaret

Those of the past and those of the present

Wise women

Witches, hags and crones

Birthing communities

Birthing stories.

Birthing faith, hope and love

for all the world.

Hearing the words not spoken

Today has been about listening

Listening for the gifts of wisdom

that others bring

Bringing to the fore their skill in practice 

holding it up to the light

Celebrating, honing, polishing

Honouring the privilege it is

to accompany others

as together we pool our resources

and help each other see a way through

all the challenges life brings.

And recognising underneath it all

the love of God

giver and source of all wisdom

bringer of light and life 

who directs

and walks alongside

all the while affirming

our relationship as

Co-creators 

Beloved of God.

Ashes to Go

Some thoughts on offering Ashes to Go this morning...

Standing on the corner as traffic crawled by

slowed by commuter volume

and by the need to check out why there was a gazebo

at the edge of the church lot.

People passing on foot, intrigued by the sight

of a priest sheltering from the rain

surplice flapping in the squally wind.

“Ashes to Go” declared the sign - 

an explanation for some

perhaps dredging up a distant memory 

of church ritual from days gone by.

Or a deepening of the mystery for others

with no point of reference

to the Christian tradition of Lent.

Still, it was good to be there.

To witness to the presence of God

in the midst of life.

To acknowledge that there is no distinction 

of sacred and secular

but that each life

and each moment

is beloved of God.

And, in donning ashes,

encountering the Christ

whose call to repentance

is a call to freedom,

a shrugging off of conformity,

a release from living up to expectations

an invitation to experience grace

that arises from unconditional love.

May these gifts received 

in the symbolism of a smudge of ash

overflow into all the days of Lent and beyond.

Ashes to Go indeed!