Sunday 26 October 2025

 

Psalm 104

Bless the Lord, my soul!
Lord God, how great you are,
clothed in majesty and glory,
wrapped in light as in a robe!

You stretch out the heavens like a tent.
Above the rains you build your dwelling.
You make the clouds your chariot,
you walk on the wings of the wind,
you make the winds your messengers
and flashing fire your servants.

You founded the earth on its base,
to stand firm from age to age.
You wrapped it with the ocean like a cloak:
the waters stood higher than the mountains.

At your threat they took to flight;
at the voice of your thunder they fled.
They rose over the mountains and flowed down
to the place which you had appointed.
You set limits they might not pass
lest they return to cover the earth.

You make springs gush forth in the valleys;
they flow in between the hills.
They give drink to all the beasts of the field;
the wild asses quench their thirst.
On their banks dwell the birds of heaven;
from the branches they sing their song.

From your dwelling you water the hills;
earth drinks its fill of your gift.
You make the grass grow for the cattle
and the plants to serve our needs,

that we may bring forth bread from the earth
and wine to cheer our heart;
oil, to make our faces shine
and bread to strengthen our hearts.

The trees of the Lord drink their fill,
the cedars he planted on Lebanon;
there the birds build their nests;
on the treetop the stork has her home.
The goats find a home on the mountains
and rabbits hide in the rocks.

You made the moon to mark the months;
the sun knows the time for its setting.
When you spread the darkness it is night
and all the beasts of the forest creep forth.
The young lions roar for their prey
and ask their food from God.

At the rising of the sun they steal away
and go to rest in their dens.
Men and women go out to their work,
to labour till evening falls.

How many are your works, O Lord!
In wisdom you have made them all.
The earth is full of your riches.

There is the sea, vast and wide,
with its moving swarms past counting,
living things great and small.
The ships are moving there
and the monsters you made to play with.

All of these look to you
to give them their food in due season.
You give it, they gather it up:
you open your hand, they have their fill.

You hide your face, they are dismayed;
you take back your spirit, they die,
returning to the dust from which they came.
You send forth your spirit, they are created;
and you renew the face of the earth.

May the glory of the Lord last for ever!
May the Lord rejoice in his works!
He looks on the earth and it trembles;
the mountains send forth smoke at his touch.

I will sing to the Lord all my life,
make music to my God while I live.
May my thoughts be pleasing to him.

I find my joy in the Lord.
Let sinners vanish from the earth
and the wicked exist no more.

Bless the Lord, my soul.

Reflection

This is a psalm of praise.  It is also another creation story (the third in scripture) and includes sea monsters unlike the first two! I love this creation story though because of the poetic way it tells us the story. Instead of simply “God saw it was good, it was evening, it was morning, the x day” here we have the poetry of God “wrapped in light as in a robe:”  It is an easy to grasp image – even with the blinding brightness and the elegance of some great fantastic royal robe. 

The psalm writer delights in telling this story to create such images that, even today, spark joy and delight in the reader.  Even the trickier verses towards the end have a positive resolution to them because we cannot end on sadness – the wicked simply should not exist and the sinners should vanish from the earth – which is reminiscent of the Israelites in the wilderness when they sinned, the earth opened up and swallowed them – they literally vanished from the earth.  Maybe this is the simple solution!  Maybe I have focused too heavily, maybe I too should have skimmed past and ignored it.  In a poem as beautiful as this the harsher words need to be taken note of –  even though few in number and towards the end – because they were still put there to remind us that God’s creation is perfect but we are not.  We can go astray.  It is important that we come back to, and keep finding our joy in, God rather than becoming those who vanish or exist no more. 

Let us be part of God’s creation song! 

Prayer

Creator God
thank you for scattering stars in the heavens 
like sequins on a gown.
Thank you for the incredible 
marine, avian, reptilian and mammalian life 
that we have barely begun to comprehend 
yet are already destroying through our selfish behaviour. 
Help us to stop seeing it all 
as shoes, bags, clothes, medicine and food. 
Teach us to  live in harmony with your creation,
 so we stop burning the world to the ground. Amen.

St Matthew 5: 14 – 16

Jesus said: ‘You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

Reflection

Following on from describing his followers as salt, Jesus now turns to describe them as light. Just as salt is always noticeable when it is present, so it is with light. You cannot easily completely obscure light. It only needs the tiniest of gaps to shine through. It is also something that we all crave, and need. 

You often hear people wishing for summer, not just because it is warmer, but also because of the longer and brighter days. These longer days bring more light, and people tend to feel happier then. It is often the same in relation to God. They feel drawn to his light which Jesus tells us that we are bearers of. Therefore, we should use our lives so that people might be drawn to the light of Christ.

Although there are clear similarities between salt and light, there are also differences as well. Salt is something that works in a small area. On the other hand light illuminates more than simply that on which it is directed, and it is seen from further afield. So it should be with us, in conjunction with our work as salt. We work in a particular place, we bring God’s word in a particular situation, we share God’s love with others – caring for them and helping them, and we live as God calls us to live. But the effects of what we do can be seen much further afield than only in the specific place where we focus our work. Our light, our God given light, shines out for all to see.

This is something we always need to be mindful of, and this is why the whole of our lives are to be lived for God. Being a person of faith is not just something to pick up now and again as we feel like it, for the way we live, the way we act, will demonstrate where our priorities lie.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, light of the world,
shine your light on us, so that we, in turn,
might reflect your light and reveal your glory.
Amen.

 

St Matthew 5: 13

‘You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot.

Reflection

What a strange thing for Jesus to say, equating people with a small, grainy chemical, but Jesus was aware of how strongly salt can affect everything it comes into contact with, and how everyone could relate to it.

Salt is a very common mineral and it has been used throughout history as both a flavouring and a preservative. We still find it useful today, even if many of us are worried about our excess consumption of it.

We are, according to Jesus, the world’s salt, and this places an enormous responsibility on us. We should go about ‘flavouring’ the world, that is to say that we should have an effect on the world like salt has an effect on food. We should always be there, hard to get rid of, infiltrating every aspect of society, and bringing with us the power and reality of God’s love.

However, the truth is that we are not always keen to do this. Many and various can be the reasons that we come up with in order to try and avoid being salt in the world, but we need to ask ourselves, in avoiding the call to be salt, can we enable others to know Christ? Or, to ask it another way, does salt that is kept in a cellar have any effect on anything else?

Of course it doesn’t. In order to have an effect it needs to be sprinkled on the food so that it can permeate throughout. In the same way, we also need to come out of our ‘cellars’ and permeate throughout society. We need to display the qualities of God’s kingdom as we live from day to day. This is our calling. This is what God expects of us. We don’t necessarily need to go and do anything extra special, but we do need to ensure that we are living the life that God calls us to live and go about flavouring the world as we do so.

Prayer

Loving God, help us to be salt in the world.
Keep us full of flavour by your Holy Spirit,
and enable us to season the world around us
as we live our lives for you day by day.
In Jesus’ name we pray.
Amen.

 

St Matthew 5: 1 – 12

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him.  Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:

‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
‘Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
‘Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
‘Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
‘Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
‘Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
‘Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

‘Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.  Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Reflection

The Beatitudes are one of my favourite passages in scripture because they set my heart on fire and the Holy Spirit sparks a real passion for social justice in me every single time I go back to them. I know that many will quote the 10 Commandments as being key to how we live; plenty of public buildings in the USA have the 10 commandments engraved on them like some great legal edifice.  Yet for me the Beatitudes are much more awe-inspiring, challenging, and Christ-focused simply because they are Christ-preached. 

They are a declaration of truth while also being future promises and new teachings – they are an example of the in-breaking now and not yet of God’s kin-dom.  They are also a call to social justice, social and community action – someone is going hungry, well do something about it! The temple system is unjust – speak out! The Beatitudes aren’t asking people to roll over and be passive. Jesus encourages people to be subversive in their “passivity”. 

Meekness in Hebrew doesn’t mean what we think it means in English (and if we got that wrong in translation, how much more did we get wrong because we didn’t understand enough?)  The word encompasses humility, affliction, and a recognition of one’s dependence on God. It can also be associated with the oppressed or those who are suffering.

I am pretty certain we are being asked to do more than we expect, and possibly feel comfortable with, here.  That is why this is one of my favourite passages; every time I go back to it I am asked to do more as part of God’s now and not yet social justice.

Prayer

God of the Mount
when you stood and preached to us,
it wasn’t a one-time thing.
Through Scripture we are able to revisit your words 
and hear again your teaching and challenge.
Spark in us a desire to really learn from your word 
and live it out in the world –
 to become part of the social justice, 
community action 
now and not yet
 kin-dom building with you. Amen

 22 October 2025
 

St Matthew 4: 18 – 22
 
As Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the lake — for they were fishermen.  And he said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.’  Immediately they left their nets and followed him.  As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them.  Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.
 
Reflection

The scene for today’s reading is set against the backdrop of the Sea of Galilee, with the gentle waves lapping against the shore and the sun beginning to set in the distance. The atmosphere is peaceful and serene, as these four men make a life-changing decision to leave behind their livelihoods and families to follow Jesus and become his disciples. The call of Jesus is powerful and compelling, drawing these men to embark on a journey of faith and discipleship that will forever change their lives.

Today, many of us are preoccupied with our own “nets” — our careers, routines, and personal goals. Jesus’ call to follow Him and become fishers of people challenges us to prioritise spiritual pursuits and invest in the lives of others. It prompts us to consider what we are willing to leave behind to follow Jesus.  It challenges us to reflect on our priorities, listen to Jesus’ call, and respond with the same immediacy and faith as the first disciples.
What “nets” are we holding onto? How can we become a fisher of people in our own context?

The disciples’ quick and obedient response to Jesus’ call shows us the importance of being ready and willing to listen and follow God’s call. It teaches us that when God calls us, it is crucial to put our faith and trust in Him and follow wherever He may lead us.

Let us not hesitate to respond when God calls us to a life of discipleship and service, like the disciples. We can experience the blessings when we let go of anything that may hinder us from fully following Him, and enjoy the fulfilment that comes from walking in obedience to God’s calling.

Prayer

Dear God
may we always be awake
and ready to listen to your call,
but also to follow that call in the knowledge
that you are there to support and guide us
in everything we do in your name.
In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen

Monday, 20 October 2025

St Matthew 4: 12 – 17

Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the lake, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:

‘Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali,
    on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—
the people who sat in darkness
    have seen a great light,
and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death
    light has dawned.’

From that time Jesus began to proclaim, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.’

Reflection

This is a pivotal moment.  This is a dawn of Jesus’ public ministry. After John the Baptist is arrested, Jesus withdraws to Galilee, settling in Capernaum by the sea. But this is not just a geographical move; it’s a theological one for it fulfils the prophecy in Isaiah 9: The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.

 Jesus doesn’t start where you would expect amongst the religious elite. He begins at the margins, in Galilee, a place full of outsiders and ordinary people. In doing so, Jesus shows us that God’s kingdom dawns in unexpected places and amongst unexpected people.

His opening message is not new, but it is simple.  It is radical. It is not quite the message to win hearts or to make you popular.  Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.  In other words, this is the Call to intentionally turning around, of reorienting your life toward God. Jesus is calling people to a complete transformation. The Kingdom is not something distant or abstract. It is near. It has come in him.  What a way to start your ministry!

This passage reminds us that light shines most clearly in the darkness. In a world of fear, injustice, division, and despair, the message of Jesus breaks in with hope. His arrival signals a new beginning, not just for Galilee, but for all of us. And we, like those early hearers, are invited to respond. 

 Are we willing to turn from whatever holds us back whether selfishness, cynicism, despair, apathy and turn toward the light? Are we open to the kingdom breaking into our lives, even when it calls us to change?

 God’s good news often begins where we least expect it. The call to repentance is not a threat. It’s an invitation. An invitation to live in the light, to follow the one who brings hope, healing, and new life.  The kingdom has come near. How will you respond?

 Prayer

The kingdom of God is justice and joy

Gracious God, remove all that holds us back – selfishness, cynicism, despair and apathy [add in what it is that holds you back]. Free our hearts to say yes to your invitation to be transformed by your love. Shape us into vessels of your grace, that your kingdom may grow in and through us, bringing light, hope, and healing to the world.
Amen.

Sunday, 19 October 2025
Psalm 103

 

My soul, give thanks to the Lord
all my being, bless his holy name.
My soul, give thanks to the Lord
and never forget all his blessings.

It is he who forgives all your guilt,
who heals every one of your ills,
who redeems your life from the grave,
who crowns you with love and compassion,
who fills your life with good things,
renewing your youth like an eagle’s.

The Lord does deeds of justice,
gives judgment for all who are oppressed.
He made known his ways to Moses
and his deeds to Israel’s children.

The Lord is compassion and love,
slow to anger and rich in mercy.
His wrath will come to an end;
he will not be angry for ever.
He does not treat us according to our sins
nor repay us according to our faults.

For as the heavens are high above the earth
so strong is his love for those who fear him.
As far as the east is from the west
so far does he remove our sins.

As parents have compassion on their children,
the Lord has pity on those who fear him;
for he knows of what we are made,
he remembers that we are dust.

As for us, our days are like grass;
we flower like the flower of the field;
the wind blows and we are gone
and our place never sees us again.

But the love of the Lord is everlasting
upon those who hold him in fear;
his justice reaches out to children’s children
when they keep his covenant in truth,
when they keep his will in their mind.

The Lord has set his sway in heaven
and his kingdom is ruling over all.
Give thanks to the Lord, all his angels,
mighty in power, fulfilling his word,
who heed the voice of his word.

Give thanks to the Lord, all his hosts,
his servants who do his will.
Give thanks to the Lord, all his works,
in every place where he rules.
My soul, give thanks to the Lord!

Reflection

In the present troubled world in which we live it can feel much easier to complain than to give thanks. There are so many struggles; so much that’s going wrong; so often times when the poor and needy are neglected. It’s not only about the wider world, it can also be our own lives, when we go through times of difficulty and are left in despair, wondering what the future might hold.

However, the Psalm today offers us an alternative view, focussing on the goodness of God, and all that God offers. The Psalm opens our eyes to the possibility of times of thanksgiving and praise.

There are times when I find myself sitting at my desk in my study in times of struggle and despair. Then I lift my eyes to the hills on the horizon, covered with a multitude of trees, and the open sky above, and I am taken out of all that weighs me down, into the fruitful and fulfilling love of God. And I am renewed in the knowledge that this love is ever present, whether I look up or not. I can give thanks for God’s gift of creation, and the way reflecting on this created world, and being part of creation, can bring me to the point of thanksgiving, whatever else might be going on in my life.

Taking time to be still in God’s presence, to remember God’s compassion, justice and love and to give thanks, despite all that might be going on around me, is a significant part of the life of faith.

It comes as a reminder of the need to be thankful rather than judgemental and to be positive rather than negative. This psalm opens my eyes again to the need for thankfulness to God for being held day by day in God’s love. It helps me to see the way in which the Church is called to be a visible sign of God’s loving presence.

Prayer

Loving and ever-present God
open my eyes again this day to all the blessings that you promise.
Open my heart to receive your compassion and to share this with others.
Help me to see your love and justice, in the darkest of times.
Fill my mind with the truth of your words and your presence.
Strengthen me to live in your way.
May I day by day give thanks to you.

Amen

 

 
St Matthew 4: 1 – 11
 
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.  He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was famished.  The tempter came and said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.’  But he answered, ‘It is written,
 
“One does not live by bread alone,
    but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”’
 
Then the devil took him to the holy city and placed him on the pinnacle of the temple,  saying to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down; for it is written,
 
“He will command his angels concerning you”,
    and “On their hands they will bear you up,
so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.”’
 
Jesus said to him, ‘Again it is written, “Do not put the Lord your God to the test.”’
 
Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour;  and he said to him, ‘All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.’  Jesus said to him, ‘Away with you, Satan! for it is written,
 
“Worship the Lord your God,  and serve only him.”’
 
Then the devil left him, and suddenly angels came and waited on him.
 
Reflection

At Jesus’ baptism we have heard that he received the Holy Spirit, which descended upon Him like a dove, and led Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. That seems like a strange agenda for the Spirit of God! Probably many of us over the years have asked the question Why? Why would the Spirit of God lead Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted? 
 
Shortly after this passage in Matthew 6:13, Jesus will teach us to pray, “And do not bring us to the time of trial but rescue us from the evil one”.

Something to remember is that the Spirit doesn’t tempt Jesus but only leads him into the wilderness – goes with Him into the wilderness and is reminiscent of the 23rd Psalm, where God goes with us through the valley of the shadow of death. The Spirit leads and accompanies Jesus; the tempting is the devil’s business.

It’s the same for us today.  Each time we say the Lord’s Prayer we know that when we find ourselves in times of trial and difficulty it’s not God who is doing the tempting but that He is with us during those times, walking alongside us, guiding us to choose the right path and make the correct decision. It reminds me of that well known poem “Footprints in the Sand” – when in times of trial and suffering the writer questioned why there was only one set of footprints; the Lord responded by saying that during those times He was carrying the writer.

When we find ourselves in that type of situation and maybe feeling on our own remember that our Lord and Saviour is always walking alongside us and, if necessary, will be carrying us through the difficult times.

Prayer

Gracious, Caring God,
deliver us from the snares of temptation
that seek to ensnare our hearts and minds.
Protect us from the schemes of the enemy
and grant us the discernment to recognise and avoid the pitfalls.
Empower us with Your Spirit
to walk in Your truth and righteousness.
In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen

St Matthew 3: 13 – 17

Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, ‘I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?’  But Jesus answered him, ‘Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfil all righteousness.’ Then he consented.  And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him.  And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.’

Reflection

Following Jesus’ example, Baptism is still today part of our lives as Christians marking the start of our journey and commitment to following as disciples of Jesus Christ. For many of us our baptism will now be many years ago, and may even have taken place when we were just a few months old, so holding on to its significance can maybe feel hard. Yet whenever it took place, and whether we remember the event and the promises made, our baptism is a happening which offers to change our lives significantly, if we allow it.

So inspired by this account of Jesus’ own baptism by John in the river Jordan,  I invite you to consider these ‘What If’s’, and allow the power of our baptisms to transform our lives anew. 
•    What if we lived as if our baptism, however long ago it may have been, was a present reality?
•    What if we lived as if we believed it had a transformative effect on our daily lives?
•    What if we lived as if all our past regrets and wrongdoing have been washed away?
•    What if we lived as if we are in that moment of elation and freedom, bursting out of the water?
•    What if we lived as if Heaven had burst open and we could see clearly how the world was meant to be?
•    What if we lived as if we could see the Spirit alive and active in transforming our world.
•    What if we lived as though we could hear the voice of God in our lives, speaking only words of encouragement and love?
If we allowed ourselves to live as if all those things were true, how would our life be?

Prayer

Spirit of God,
who descended on Jesus like a dove,
rest on us now and fill us with your love.

Inspire us anew by your Spirit
to see the world as you would have it be
and work for its transformation. 
Today and always
as disciples of Jesus Christ.

Amen.