Song:
Praise my soul the king of heaven
Praise, my soul the King of heaven - YouTube
Reading.
Mark’s gospel, chapter 7: verses 1 to 15.
Song:
Jesus wants me for a sunbeam
Jesus Wants Me For a Sunbeam ~ Golden Books ~ lyric video - YouTube
Song:
Jesu Jesu fill us with your love
Jesu, Jesu Fill us with your Love - YouTube
The last year has been difficult for many of us. The isolation, the uncertainty, the fear, have all been stressful. There has been nothing like this 12 months before. For much of that time, there has not been an end in sight, we have had all the inconvenience and problems without any real vision of where we are going. Just over a year ago, in March, we were saying that we might be over the worst of it by late May or early June. Sadly, that was not the case and many people have suffered illness and bereavement. Alongside the pandemic, there has been the mental illness suffered by many.
Times like these can bring out the best in people, and there have been many stories of heroism, service and sacrifice. People have helped neighbours, served family members, and strangers, in all sorts of ways. There have been those who fundraised for charity, and those who performed their normal jobs so that others could continue with their lives. Many of these people have received public recognition; the emergency services, health-care workers and the like. Others have served in a lower key way, but have nonetheless enabled society to function under difficult circumstances; retailers, distribution workers, education workers, cleaners and maintenance workers are amongst this group.
Unfortunately, times like these can also bring out the worst in some people. If, like me, you read the newspapers, you cannot have failed to read the self-righteous bile published in the letters pages. People who are trying to do the right thing as they see it, are quick to point out the faults in others who are doing things differently. Minor irritations soon seem to become major problems. What are really trivial things in the grand scheme of things take on an importance far greater than they really warrant. People are writing letters to the press about when and where others should drink coffee, wear masks, shop, use phones and many similar issues.
The tone of the letters is a uniform sense of “I’m absolutely right, and these other people are totally wrong!” Personally, I find it difficult to believe that the writers are actually completely without fault, that they have never broken one or other of the rules at some time. It is often the case that such people, when found out not following the rules will say something like “But look at them, they are much worse than I am!”
This attitude is not new. About 2000 years ago, an itinerant preacher was eating with his followers, and he was challenged by the religious people of the day. His followers did not follow the ‘correct’ rituals for washing their hands and utensils prior to eating. In their eyes, this meant that what they ate was defiled, (made ritually unclean) and that in its turn, this meant that the people were defiled.
The preacher responded with a rather earthy parable. The critics were told that it wasn’t what went into a person that defiled them, it was what came out! I suspect that at least some of the hearers were rather shocked. Than, as now, preachers were not supposed to talk about bodily functions!
The message is very clear; it is not how ‘good’ you think you are that matters, it is what you do. If your words or actions are dishonourable, than they defile you.
As we seem to be approaching the end, or at least the reduction, of the restrictions of the last year or so, we can perhaps be more hopeful. We can also be thankful for the words and deeds of those who have given of their best in this crisis. They certainly have not been defiled by their actions, rather, they have shown us, and themselves, something of what God would have us be. Famously, the Beatles sang “All you need is love”. It may not be all you need, but it will make the world a better place.
Song:
All praise to our redeeming Lord
All praise to our redeeming Lord StF 608 (with lyrics for congregations) - YouTube
Prayer:
Heavenly Father,; you portray power in humility, strength in weakness, dignity in service, and we did not know how this could be. Help us to find your kingdom as we serve in quietness.
We still think of ourselves as more important than others, and squabble about who is the greatest.
We like to think that people look up to us, and that we really are better than they.
But you upset our calculations, and offend against all protocol by rolling up your sleeves and coming to serve us.
Help us please, to forget our old ideas about precedence; let our dignity look after itself, and let us find the joy of being useful to others.
It is good to know that our place is to serve, and that this is our usefulness. You ask os to do our job quietly and unpretentiously in trusting obedience.
Thank you for inviting us to play out our lives in this minor key, and yet to enjoy the full music of your kingdom.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord
Amen.
Song:
Behold the servant of the Lord
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