Rejoice and Sing 712

All people that on earth do dwell,
sing to the Lord with cheerful voice;
him serve with mirth, his praise forth tell;
come ye before him and rejoice.

The Lord, ye know, is God indeed;
without our aid he did us make;
we are his folk, he doth us feed;
and for his sheep he doth us take.

O enter then his gates with praise,
approach with joy his courts unto;
praise, laud and bless his name always,
for it is seemly so to do.

For why: the Lord our God is good,
his mercy is for ever sure;
his truth at all times firmly stood,
and shall from age to age endure.

Public Domain
William Keith’s version of Psalm 100 which you can hear here.

Acts 16: 19-26

[In Philippi Paul and Silas healed an enslaved girl whose divinations made large profits for her owners.]

When the girl’s owners saw that their hope of profit had gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them to the city authorities in the main square; bringing them before the magistrates, they alleged, ‘These men are causing a disturbance in our city; they are Jews, and they are advocating practices which it is illegal for Romans to adopt and follow.’ The mob joined in the attack; and the magistrates had the prisoners stripped and gave order for them to be flogged. After a severe beating they were flung into prison and a jailer was ordered to keep them under guard. In view of these orders, he put them into the inner prison and secured their feet in the stocks. About midnight Paul and Silas, at their prayers, were singing praise to God, and the other prisoners were listening, when suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the jail were shaken; the doors burst open and all the prisoners found their fetters unfastened.

Reflection

Our Puritan ancestors devised the Westminster Shorter Catechism in 1647 to teach the faith as they understood it. It begins by echoing the great commandment as taught by Jesus. 

‘What is the chief end of man? Man’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy him for ever.’

If we disregard the archaic language this still remains a striking claim. We are here to praise God. Psalm 100 sees that praise located in the Temple before reminding us to bless God always. The Westminster Shorter Catechism does not begin in Church; it claims that our whole life should be built around glorifying God. Singing hymns is only one part of that, but it is a significant part. Today hymns take many shapes and themes but the origin of all hymns is the praise of the divine. When hymns become too introspective they turn our attention away from God to ourselves. A hymn, by definition, ought to turn our minds towards God. The idea of enjoying God sounds strange to modern ears, as does serving him with mirth. What is meant here is not superficial happiness but inner joy. Hymns sometimes have the power to take us away from our everyday context and bring us to what we can only term ‘heaven’. 

Paul and Silas included hymn-singing in their devotions. Rather than metaphorically raising the roof they shook the prison apart. Earthquakes were not uncommon, but this one is surely a miracle. Even more miraculous is the religious conversion of the jailer. We might take many lessons from this story but in the context of hymn-singing it is evident that the regular practice of prayer and praise has a power all of its own. We will explore this further this week.

Prayer 

Almighty God 
we thank you for all your mercies, 
for our rest and safety and for this new day. 
Cause us to spend this day 
in obedient and faithful service. 
Preserve our souls from sin, 
and our bodies from dangers or hurts 
which would hinder us from serving you. 
Cause us to live as in your presence, 
and let us do all to please you, 
and to your glory, 
and to the good of our own souls 
and of one another; 
and let your love, and praise, and service, 
be our continual delight; 
for Jesus Christ’s sake, 
our Saviour and Intercessor at your right hand.

adapted from a prayer by Richard Baxter, 
someone intimately connected with the Westminster Shorter Catechism
 

Introduction
 
Welcome. Croeso. My name is Ruth Whitehead and I’m a minister of the United Reformed Church in the Landsker pastorate in Pembrokeshire, in the far West of Wales. Today is Father’s Day, and whether you usually celebrate that or not, our readings speak of the care of God as our heavenly father. Let us worship God
 
Call to Worship 
 
We turn to you, O Lord, for your love is kind.  In your great compassion, turn to us.  Be swift and answer us, for we are in distress. Draw near to us and redeem us.
 
Hymn       Dear Lord And Father Of Mankind
John Greenleaf Whittier (1807–1892) Public Domain, sung by St. Bartholomew’s, Manhattan, Choir, Paolo Bordignon, Organist and Choirmaster
 

Dear Lord and Father of mankind,
forgive our foolish ways;
reclothe us in our rightful mind;
in purer lives thy service find,
in deeper reverence, praise.
 
2 In simple trust 
like theirs who heard
beside the Syrian sea
the gracious calling of the Lord,
let us, like them, without a word
rise up and follow thee.
 
3 Drop Thy still dews of quietness,
till all our strivings cease;
take from our souls 
the strain and stress,
and let our ordered lives confess
the beauty of Thy peace.
 
4 Breathe through the heats
of our desire
Thy coolness and Thy balm;
let sense be dumb, let flesh retire;
speak through 
the earthquake, wind and fire,
O still small voice of calm!

 
Prayers of Approach & Confession
 
With the psalmist, let us pray:  ‘Answer me, O Lord, for your love is kind; in your great compassion, turn to me’.   We come to you, God of every generation – of our fathers and our fathers’ fathers.  We worship you for your kindness, your compassion and your love.  We find you waiting here for us, ready to listen to our prayers, to heal our wounds, to come near to our hearts.  
 
‘Hide not your face from your servant; be swift and answer me, for I am in distress.’  We come to hear your word for us, and seek a better knowledge of you, our God, the one Jesus calls “our heavenly father”.
As we worship, help us to follow Jesus.  Receive our prayers and set our feet on right paths. Hear us, in our need and distress.
‘Draw near to me and redeem me, because of my enemies deliver me’.  We confess to you, loving God, that we need your health and redemption
We wander far from you, and fall and fail. Forgive us, we pray, and by your Spirit make us new.
 
Declaration of Forgiveness
 
God is faithful and just, ever-loving and ever-gracious.
To each of God’s children this promise is made: Your sins are forgiven
In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
 
As forgiven children of God we pray together the Lord’s Prayer…
 
Prayer of Illumination
 
God who comes to us in the Word made flesh,
As we open Scripture open our ears to hear
and our hearts to understand, that we may open our lives to you.  Amen
 
Readings
 
We hear one of Jeremiah’s laments to God. In the face of suffering Jeremiah does not turn his back on God, but trusts God enough to be entirely honest about his hardships. Jeremiah’s faith stands up to the testing times, and he ends with a song of praise to God.  
 
Jeremiah 20:7-13
 
O Lord, you have enticed me, and I was enticed;
you have overpowered me, and you have prevailed.
I have become a laughing-stock all day long; everyone mocks me.
For whenever I speak, I must cry out,
I must shout, ‘Violence and destruction!’
For the word of the Lord has become for me
a reproach and derision all day long.
If I say, ‘I will not mention him, or speak any more in his name’,
then within me there is something like a burning fire shut up in my bones;
I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot.
For I hear many whispering: ‘Terror is all around!
Denounce him! Let us denounce him!’
All my close friends are watching for me to stumble.
‘Perhaps he can be enticed, and we can prevail against him,
and take our revenge on him.’
But the Lord is with me like a dread warrior;
therefore my persecutors will stumble, and they will not prevail.
They will be greatly shamed, for they will not succeed.
Their eternal dishonour will never be forgotten.
O Lord of hosts, you test the righteous,
you see the heart and the mind;
let me see your retribution upon them,
for to you I have committed my cause.
Sing to the Lord; praise the Lord!
For he has delivered the life of the needy from the hands of evildoers.
 
Reading   St Matthew 10:24-39
 
Jesus said: ‘A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a slave above the master; it is enough for the disciple to be like the teacher, and the slave like the master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household!  ‘So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops.  Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.  Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground unperceived by your Father.  And even the hairs of your head are all counted. So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows. ‘Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven;  but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven. ‘Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and one’s foes will be members of one’s own household. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me;  and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.
 
Hymn       Eternal God Your Love’s Tremendous Glory
Alan Gaunt (1935-2023) © 1991 Stainer & Bell Ltd OneLicence No. # A-734713 
choir for Rejoice and Sing demo tape.
 

Eternal God, 
your love’s tremendous glory
cascades through life 
in overflowing grace,
to tell creation’s 
meaning in the story
of love evolving love 
from time and space.
 
2 Eternal Son of God, 
uniquely precious,
in you, deserted,
scorned and crucified,
God’s love has fathomed 
sin and death’s deep darkness,
and flawed humanity is glorified.
 
3 Eternal Spirit,
with us like a mother,
embracing us in love 
serene and pure:
You nurture strength 
to follow Christ our brother,
as full-grown children, 
confident and sure.
 
4 Love’s trinity,
self-perfect, self-sustaining;
love which commands, 
enables and obeys:
You give yourself, 
in boundless joy, creating
one vast increasing 
harmony of praise.
 
5 We ask you now,
complete your image in us;
this love of yours, 
our source and guide and goal.
may love in us, 
seek love and serve love’s purpose,
till we ascend with Christ 
and find love whole.

1 When you walk through the waters I’ll be with you.
You will never sink 
beneath the waves.
 
2 When the fire is burning 
all around you,
you will never be consumed 
by the flames.
 
3 When the fear of loneliness 
is looming,
then remember 
I am at your side.
 
4 When you dwell in the exile 
of the stranger,
remember you are precious 
in my eyes.
 
5 You are mine, O my child; 
I am your Father,
and I love you with a perfect love.

Blessing
 
May the love of the God whom Jesus called Father
care for you in each challenge 
and carry you through each pain 
and may the grace of Jesus Christ our Lord 
and the strength of the Holy Spirit 
be with you today and always, Amen

Revelation 18.1-13 

After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority; and the earth was made bright with his splendour. He called out with a mighty voice,

‘Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great!
It has become a dwelling-place of demons, a haunt of every foul spirit, 
a haunt of every foul bird, a haunt of every foul and hateful beast.
For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication,
and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her,
and the merchants of the earth have grown rich from the power of her luxury.’

Then I heard another voice from heaven saying,

‘Come out of her, my people, so that you do not take part in her sins,
and so that you do not share in her plagues;
for her sins are heaped high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.
Render to her as she herself has rendered, and repay her double for her deeds;
mix a double draught for her in the cup she mixed.
As she glorified herself and lived luxuriously, so give her a like measure of torment and grief.
Since in her heart she says,
“I rule as a queen;  I am no widow, and I will never see grief”,
therefore her plagues will come in a single day — pestilence and mourning and famine —
and she will be burned with fire; for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.’

And the kings of the earth, who committed fornication and lived in luxury with her, will weep and wail over her when they see the smoke of her burning; they will stand far off, in fear of her torment, and say,

‘Alas, alas, the great city, Babylon, the mighty city! For in one hour your judgement has come.’

And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn for her, since no one buys their cargo any more, cargo of gold, silver, jewels and pearls, fine linen, purple, silk and scarlet, all kinds of scented wood, all articles of ivory, all articles of costly wood, bronze, iron, and marble, cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, frankincense, wine, olive oil, choice flour and wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, slaves—and human lives.

Reflection

Sometimes the values of the Church and those of the state are so far apart that conflict between the two is inevitable. The Bible ends with such a conflict, and the fall of the great empire of ‘Babylon’, probably a metaphor for the Roman Empire.

The Book of Revelation can be interpreted in multiple ways. Today I simply want to draw attention to the two groups of people who mourn the fall of Babylon. The first is “the kings of the earth” – rulers who, like Herod and Pilate, were subservient to the empire and did its bidding. They mourn their lost power.
The second group are “the merchants of the earth”, because the empire has facilitated the accumulation of wealth through trade. Raw materials have been exploited for financial gain, and some have made themselves very rich as a result of trading in precious stones, metals and fabrics; building materials; the ingredients for cosmetics; food and drink; domesticated animals; and “slaves – and human lives.” In this empire, everything has its price, and even human beings can be bought and sold.

Eventually, appealing to the better nature of slave owners (as Paul does to Philemon) is not enough. If an empire is built on slavery, God’s will can be done only when it falls. My first paid job was with the Southern Africa Coalition, of which the URC was a member, which in 1989-90 campaigned for continued sanctions against apartheid South Africa. There, the Church had to confront an evil state. Shortly after I left that job, Nelson Mandela was released and that evil regime began to crumble.

It is for today’s Church to identify where voracious greed and inhumanity are found now, and to work and pray for God’s will to be done and for today’s Babylon to fall.

Prayer

Powerful God, 
Judge of all the Earth,
we find it easier to talk of compromise and tolerance
than to recognise the inevitability of your judgement.
But surely you cannot tolerate the greed 
that leads to the rape of the earth 
and the trade in human lives.
Help us to discern where in our world 
the state is so evil that it must fall,
and to pray and work for Your will to be done.
Amen.

Philemon 1-16 

Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,
To Philemon our dear friend and co-worker, to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow-soldier, 
and to the church in your house:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

When I remember you in my prayers, I always thank my God because I hear of your love for all the saints and your faith towards the Lord Jesus. I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective when you perceive all the good that we may do for Christ. I have indeed received much joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, my brother.

For this reason, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do your duty, yet I would rather appeal to you on the basis of love—and I, Paul, do this as an old man, and now also as a prisoner of Christ Jesus. I am appealing to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I have become during my imprisonment. Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful both to you and to me. I am sending him, that is, my own heart, back to you. I wanted to keep him with me, so that he might be of service to me in your place during my imprisonment for the gospel; but I preferred to do nothing without your consent, in order that your good deed might be voluntary and not something forced. Perhaps this is the reason he was separated from you for a while, so that you might have him back for ever, no longer as a slave but as more than a slave, a beloved brother—especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

Reflection

It is sometimes said that the Bible contains no condemnation of slavery. In fact, I believe that the Book of Revelation contains a clear denunciation, which we shall read tomorrow.  But today we hear Paul trying to stick to his principle of remaining obedient to the state and its institutions (Romans 13), while believing that following Christ requires living a life that is very different from the norm in the Roman Empire.

This skilfully worded letter appeals to Philemon to see Onesimus in a new light. Onesimus is now a Christian; that means he and Philemon are brothers. Paul never quite spells out the obvious conclusion, that he must not just be treated well, but be freed from slavery. Perhaps in case the letter was intercepted, Paul did not wish to say in so many words that the institution of slavery –vital to the economic system of the Roman Empire – was utterly wrong. But he does try to persuade Philemon do right by Onesimus.

As a Church policy officer, I had to convey to the government that the Church believes in change on a global and national scale, and also that each individual matters. So, the Church sends representatives to global COP climate and biodiversity conferences (I attended COP26 in Glasgow), but we also encourage each congregation to become an EcoChurch. In Wales, churches campaigned for the Welsh Government to declare Wales a Nation of Sanctuary, which it did in 2021; but local churches and families welcome refugees from Afghanistan, Syria, Ukraine and elsewhere into their homes and into church property. We campaign for changes to alleviate poverty nationally, and we welcome individuals to our foodbanks and local pantries.

We do not choose between individual and global justice. Paul powerfully appeals for an individual. Tomorrow we will read a call for global justice.

Prayer

Loving God,
we know that the causes of the suffering of individuals
can involve systems and institutions which neither they nor we can control.
Give us the wisdom to see when we must help the individual in front of us,
even though we cannot solve the root causes of their injustice,
and when we must campaign for change on a global scale.
In both cases, give us the courage to do what is right.
Amen.

Matthew 5.38-45

Jesus said: ‘You have heard that it was said, “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you.

‘You have heard that it was said, “You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.” But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous.

Reflection

There is no sharper issue between church and state than war and peace. Christian attitudes range from pacifism (as with the Society of Friends) to a willingness to bless weaponry and soldiers on their way to battle (as with many state churches). In between, there are those Christians who regard a ‘just war’ as an occasional necessity to prevent a greater evil, and those who regard consistent support for the forces – through chaplaincy, financial support, provision for veterans – as a Christian duty.

At first glance, Jesus’s words seem to encourage pacifism – and to contrast with much of the Hebrew Scriptures’ witness to God supporting the Israelites in battle. But it may not be quite so straightforward. The phrase “if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile” refers to the right of Roman soldiers to insist that civilians from nations which they had conquered (such as Israel) carry their heavy packs for a mile – but no more than a mile. Jesus seems to encourage people not only to obey this irksome instruction, but voluntarily to go the second mile, thus aiding the conquering armed forces. Even if Jesus intended this only as a metaphor, it is still striking that he uses this example of assisting a conquering soldier to make his point.

Perhaps this is one moral conundrum where the Basis of Union of the United Reformed Church has something to say – Civil authorities are called to serve God’s will of justice and peace for all humankind, and to respect the rights of conscience and belief. The state should respect the right to opt out of military service on grounds of conscience, but retains the right to defend itself, provided (and this is quite a proviso) that it ,does so in ways that promote justice and peace for all humankind.
 
Prayer

God of Peace,
warfare is destructive and horrible,
and wars of conquest lead to oppression and suffering on a huge scale.
We pray for all those who suffer when there is a rush to fight,
but we must also pray for those who believe that armed service is their vocation.
Help us to go the second mile in our search for peace
and in our pastoral care for those who have entered the forces.
Amen.

Amos 5.10-24 (GNB)

You people hate anyone who challenges injustice and speaks the whole truth in court. You have oppressed the poor and robbed them of their grain. And so you will not live in the fine stone houses you build or drink wine from the beautiful vineyards you plant. I know how terrible your sins are and how many crimes you have committed. You persecute good people, take bribes, and prevent the poor from getting justice in the courts. And so, keeping quiet in such evil times is the smart thing to do! Make it your aim to do what is right, not what is evil, so that you may live. Then the Lord God Almighty really will be with you, as you claim he is. Hate what is evil, love what is right, and see that justice prevails in the courts. Perhaps the Lord will be merciful to the people of this nation who are still left alive. And so the Sovereign Lord Almighty says, “There will be wailing and cries of sorrow in the city streets. Even farmers will be called to mourn the dead along with those who are paid to mourn. There will be wailing in all the vineyards. All this will take place because I am coming to punish you.” The Lord has spoken.

How terrible it will be for you who long for the day of the Lord! What good will that day do you? For you it will be a day of darkness and not of light. It will be like someone who runs from a lion and meets a bear! Or like someone who comes home and puts his hand on the wall—only to be bitten by a snake! The day of the Lord will bring darkness and not light; it will be a day of gloom, without any brightness. The Lord says, “I hate your religious festivals; I cannot stand them! When you bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; I will not accept the animals you have fattened to bring me as offerings. Stop your noisy songs; I do not want to listen to your harps. Instead, let justice flow like a stream, and righteousness like a river that never goes dry.”

Reflection

As with yesterday’s reading, the latter part of this passage is a signature text for preachers on justice. And as in Micah’s case, we tend to ignore the context of these verses, which speak both to individuals and to the organs of the state.

As we see in the first part of the passage, the underlying problem which Amos is addressing is a justice system which fails to work for all, and, in particular, greatly favours the rich over the poor. “Keeping quiet is the smart thing to do!” if justice is not possible, and that weakens the fabric of trust in society. In the UK today, we are living through the consequences of such an undermining of trust.

Last year, the former President of the UK Supreme Court, Baroness Brenda Hale of Richmond, published a well-informed account of the legal system in the UK (especially England and Wales) entitled ‘With the Law on our Side’. She is deeply worried at the reductions in legal aid and the consequent exclusion of many people from being able to seek justice, both in personal disputes and in those affecting society as a whole. At the same time, the former postmistress Jo Hamilton published ‘Why are you here, Mrs Hamilton?’, her account of the injustice of the Post Office Horizon scandal, and the small number of lawyers who were willing to work for justice for her and over 900 others at reduced rates. In 2023, Theresa May published ‘The Abuse of Power’, describing a series of injustices in the UK, such as Hillsborough, Grenfell and modern slavery.

To his society, frighteningly similar to our own, Amos is blunt – while justice and righteousness are ignored, their expensive religious festivals lead only to the judgement of God, “a day of darkness and not of light.”

Prayer
 
God of Judgement,
may we take heed of Amos’s warning.
We seem to find ourselves in a society 
based on injustice for the majority
while a small minority gain wealth and power,
and we too fear that the result will be darkness, not light.
Give us the prophetic courage 
to call out injustice when we see it,
and to plead for the cause of the poor, 
the downtrodden and the refugee.
Amen.

Listen now, listen to GOD:
“Take your stand in court.
    If you have a complaint, tell the mountains;
    make your case to the hills.
And now, Mountains, hear GOD’s case;
    listen, Jury Earth—
For I am bringing charges against my people.
    I am building a case against Israel.
“Dear people, how have I done you wrong?
    Have I burdened you, worn you out? Answer!
I delivered you from a bad life in Egypt;
    I paid a good price to get you out of slavery.
I sent Moses to lead you—
    and Aaron and Miriam to boot!
Remember what Balak king of Moab tried to pull,
    and how Balaam son of Beor turned the tables on him.
Remember all those stories about Shittim and Gilgal.
    Keep all GOD’s salvation stories fresh and present.”
How can I stand up before GOD
    and show proper respect to the high God?
Should I bring an armload of offerings
    topped off with yearling calves?
Would GOD be impressed with thousands of rams,
    with buckets and barrels of olive oil?
Would he be moved if I sacrificed my firstborn child,
    my precious baby, to cancel my sin?
But he’s already made it plain how to live, what to do,
    what GOD is looking for in men and women.
It’s quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbour,
    be compassionate and loyal in your love,
And don’t take yourself too seriously—
    take God seriously.

Reflection

This powerful passage is a staple of services for Christian Aid and other calls for justice, and I find it helpful sometimes to use a translation which alters the familiar English translation of “act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with your God” so that it ceases to be a mantra and speaks to us afresh. 

Sometimes, verses 6-8 are taken out of context, and are read as a call to personal obedience – and the prophet does move from “us” to “I” in these verses. But the context is an imagined courtroom dispute between God and the nation. The people as a whole, not just an individual, have been complaining against God, and the call to justice is not only for individuals but for the whole nation to respond.

When the state gets it wrong, it is much more difficult for individuals to get it right. Those living under dictatorships and oppressive regimes find it far more difficult to be fair, just, compassionate and loyal if the forces of the state make that a difficult or even criminal calling. The growing restrictions on some protests in the UK – notably those around climate change and the arms trade – have made it difficult to speak out on those issues in a way in which others can hear, and increase the likelihood of encounters with those who violently disagree, or with the forces of law and order. 

For leaders, the temptation to engage in conspicuous religion remains great. In Micah’s time, this involved drawing attention with ever more lavish Temple offerings, the logical but horrific conclusion of which, he notes, would be child sacrifice. In our time, the political weaponising of attendance at worship, or the use of the cross in protests attacking refugees (in effect, demanding they sacrifice their future for the sake of ours), are disturbing equivalents. 

Prayer

God of Justice,
you have shown us what is right,
but fairness, justice, compassion and loyalty 
are easier said than done.
Forgive us when courage fails us, 
even when we know what we should do.
May we not be led astray 
by those who misuse religious offerings
or the symbols or words of our faith
to demonise others or seek their own advantage,
but rather continue to take You seriously.
Amen.

Matthew 2.13-18 

Now after they [the wise men] had left, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, ‘Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.’ Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night, and went to Egypt, and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfil what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet, ‘Out of Egypt I have called my son.’

When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, he was infuriated, and he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had learned from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the prophet Jeremiah:

‘A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation,
Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they are no more.’

Reflection

Jesus faced tyranny not only at the end of his life, but at its start also, in the person of King Herod.

When I visited Jericho some years ago, I came across the ‘King Herod Care Home for the Elderly’. Herod’s winter palace was in Jericho, and in modern Israel he is a revered figure, whose political skills gave the Israelites a measure of autonomy and religious freedom within the Roman Empire. Many Biblical scholars – Jewish and Christian – would question the historicity of the events in Matthew 2. Nonetheless, I would still have qualms about living in a care home named after Herod!

Matthew’s Gospel bookends its account of the earthly life of Jesus with these encounters with state power. The Roman Empire was an extremely violent place to live – soldiers could attack civilians with impunity, and its armies were feared across Europe and North Africa. Whereas the people of Israel had been subject to state power in all its horror in Egypt, Jesus escaped from the Israeli-Roman version to Egypt.

This reminds us that all states, even those founded in the name of God, can become dangerous places. Our Protestant forebears fled Britain and went to the Americas to find religious freedom, there suppressing the religion and culture of native Americans, in many cases using slave labour to bolster their own privilege.

In every nation, stories can be told in different ways. This is true of Herod and Israel, of the British Empire and the USA, and even of Wales. For some, devolution of power to Wales has restored a nationhood violently suppressed in 1282. For others, it has installed a new élite who have gained from being in power. We would do well to be open to hearing the standpoints of those with whom we disagree, to understand how others see us.
 
Prayer

Sovereign God,
I have imbibed a story 
that makes me and ‘my people’ heroes
and paints others as dangerous enemies.
When I encounter the ‘others’ 
I instinctively feel fear and loathing.
But they have learned a different story, –
in which my culture is the enemy 
and they are downtrodden.
Help me to be open to the stories of people 
of all cultures and creeds,
and to seek for Your image in each.
Amen.
 

Psalm 129 
 
“They have pressed me hard from my youth,”
this is Israel’s song.
“They have pressed me hard from my youth
but could never destroy me.
 
They ploughed my back like ploughmen,
drawing long furrows.
But the Lord who is just, has destroyed
the yoke of the wicked.”
 
Let them be shamed and routed,
those who hate Zion!
Let them be like grass on the roof
that withers before it flowers.
 
With that no reapers fill their arms,
no binders make their sheaves
and those passing by will not say:
“On you the Lord’s blessing!”
 
“We bless you in the name of the Lord.”
 
Reflection
 
I’m not sure how old I was when I first encountered the word ‘schadenfreude’, certainly old enough to realise words were a delight.
 
The English language doesn’t really have a ready equivalent (epicaricacy doesn’t roll off the tongue so easily) but we all recognise the sense of gloating when someone who has been persecuting us gets their comeuppance.  It might be over something quite trivial – whoever keeps pinching the custard creams at the neighbourhood drop-in.  Or it may be something that has a lasting and damaging effect: years of bullying by a neighbour or local children, or an oppressive political party in power.  Sometimes it is not persecution but differences: in customs, in language, in world views and interpretations.  Malicious glee is not something we are good at admitting to in church circles, we are supposed to be above it.  But, let’s be honest, too often our first reaction to our persecutor falling foul of justice, however it is served, is exactly like the Psalmist: let them whither before harvest’.
 
It becomes especially difficult when our society encourages this, we can become lone-voices and if we manage to avoid the gloating, then we are teased, at best, or mocked and alienated, for trying a different way of understanding.
 
It takes thought, prayer and particularly self-awareness to move beyond our psalmist and pray for those who have oppressed us.  It takes recognition and support to challenge bullying and persecution, because if we are not directly involved it is easier to look away, although we may still celebrate when they got what was coming to them.
 
Perhaps we need to start with the small stuff: custard creams anyone? (Other varieties are available).
 
Prayer
 
Dear God, 
help us to recognise that we are all made in your image, 
even when that thought is challenging to hold.
Remind us that it starts with small things 
where we learn to work together s
o that later we discern when difference is not persecution, 
and, where there is persecution, 
to confront it and work for healing with all involved.
 

Saturday, 13 June 2026

Church and State 6 
 
Matthew 27.11-23 
 
Now Jesus stood before the governor; and the governor asked him, ‘Are you the King of the Jews?’ Jesus said, ‘You say so.’ But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he did not answer. Then Pilate said to him, ‘Do you not hear how many accusations they make against you?’ But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed.  Now at the festival the governor was accustomed to release a prisoner for the crowd, anyone whom they wanted. At that time they had a notorious prisoner, called Jesus Barabbas. So after they had gathered, Pilate said to them, ‘Whom do you want me to release for you, Jesus^[ Barabbas or Jesus who is called the Messiah?’ For he realized that it was out of jealousy that they had handed him over. While he was sitting on the judgement seat, his wife sent word to him, ‘Have nothing to do with that innocent man, for today I have suffered a great deal because of a dream about him.’ Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus killed. The governor again said to them, ‘Which of the two do you want me to release for you?’ And they said, ‘Barabbas.’ Pilate said to them, ‘Then what should I do with Jesus who is called the Messiah?’ All of them said, ‘Let him be crucified!’ Then he asked, ‘Why, what evil has he done?’ But they shouted all the more, ‘Let him be crucified!’
 
Reflection
 
Matthew portrays Pilate as an insightful ruler – he can tell that he is being played by the crowd. But the hubris of power means that he decides that if he takes the easy path of washing his hands of the matter, he can get away with it. At the time, he was right – although the judgement of history on him has been far from kind. The ability of rulers to deny responsibility for matters which are clearly part of their remit is remarkable. In devolved Wales, successive Welsh governments have blamed the UK Government whenever their own policies have not turned out well. Similarly, until 2020, UK governments could blame the European Union. More recently, judgements by the European Court of Human Rights have been used as scapegoats in the same way.
 
We might have expected Jesus to confront Pilate’s hypocrisy, as we saw Nathan confronting King David yesterday. But Jesus stays silent – and Pilate is “greatly amazed”. Why does Jesus behave differently? Nathan was speaking not on his own behalf – he had nothing to gain personally from seeing Uriah’s death avenged – but on behalf of truth and justice. Jesus would have been trying to save himself. This he will not do.
When I was working as Policy Officer for the churches in Wales, on occasions I was required to push for the churches’ own interests – not to be burdened by over-regulation, to be able to access government grants (often previously unavailable to religious institutions), and so on. I had some successes. But I tried to remember that Jesus was silent about his own interests, and that the greater duty was to call for truth and justice for those who could not speak up for themselves – those whom we serve in our foodbanks, night shelters and refugee support projects.
 
Prayer
 
Loving God,
when I am tempted to pursue my own interests,
remind me of Jesus’ silence before Pilate
and give me pause for thought.
Fill me instead with courage to speak up 
for those whom the world discounts –
people who are poor, disabled or disenfranchised, 
refugees, abused women and children –
and enable me to confront the forces that stifle their voices
so that their cries may be heard by those with power.
Amen.