Second Sunday of Lent 2022 St Andrew’s
Today we continued to focus our prayers and thoughts on the invasion and the people of Ukraine.
Fraser delivered a very thoughtful and moving sermon which we all appreciated.
After the service we enjoyed coffee and birthday cake as we celebrated Gordon’s 90th birthday!
Notices for this week:
Tuesday 10am Prayer Group in the Garden Room.
Wednesday 7.30pm Book Group – Angela’s
Thursday 10am Sung Holy Communion followed by coffee in Friendship House
Readings for next Sunday – 3rd Sunday of Lent – Isaiah 55:1-9 1 Corinthians 10:1-13 Luke 13:1-9
Further news from the diocese and church can be found on the St Andrews website. Click on the link below.
Sentence: If you hear His voice, harden not your hearts.
Genesis 15: 1-12, 17-18. Philippians 3:17-4:1 Luke 13:31- end
We live in dark days. I was at a concert in Glasgow on 25 February given by one of our prestigious Scottish orchestras, conducted by their popular young Russian conductor. They had rehearsed all week against the background of the worsening crisis in Ukraine, and the invasion had taken place the day before. Before the music started, one of the principal players attempted to say a few words of introduction, very falteringly and had to say that the music would have to say its own message. After the final item the conductor said that he had wanted to say something very important, but that perhaps he shouldn’t. Instead they would offer music and they played a beautiful quiet and peaceful movement by Bizet together.
In present circumstances, I found the Old Testament lesson to be immediately speaking to us, reflecting present experience and feelings. Robin had felt the same when reading the lessons from the Ash Wednesday service recently.
We read today ‘As the sun was setting, Abram fell into a deep sleep, and a thick and dreadful darkness came over him.’ ( Gen 15:10)
He had lived through a complex and troubled period of violent warfare between various small kingdoms. In the conflict the king of Sodom had been involved, but was defeated and fled. In the confusion, Abram’s nephew Lot had been captured. Abram was successful in ensuing battles, and the king of Sodom had sought to ally himself with Abram, who resisted. All this, in much fuller detail is recounted in the chapter preceding our reading today. Confusion, danger, exhaustion and disruption, with only the appearance of the priest king Melchizedek offering the prospect of a solution. All this resonates with what we know too well from recent events. Abram’s experience as a man of faith is interesting. After the turmoil of the previous chapter the word of God came to him in a vision
‘ Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.’
This vision must intermittently have sustained him even though he still had doubts and fears, and later was warned that more troubles were to come.
All three readings today give us pause for thought in present circumstances.
Philippians was written when Paul was a prisoner of the Romans and it is clear from a reference in the first chapter that his readers were facing persecution in their own city, a Roman colony. In isolation the passage we read today seems fairly straightforward as a message of encouragement to live good Christian lives, but the final words we read (Phil 4: 1) have a real depth if we realise the circumstances on which they were written.
‘..my brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you should stand firm in the Lord, dear friends.’
In our Gospel passage, Jesus is warned about the danger facing him if he went back into Jerusalem. His words of anguish for the state of Jerusalem show his deep love for the city and its people. He did go back, and he did meet his death as a result. Was it a coincidence that he died outside the city walls, a sign that he was making God’s redemptive triumph over evil available to all?
Surely we see something of this in the actions of women who have taken their children to the safety of neighbouring countries and have then returned to their cities to staff the hospitals or do other necessary duties despite all the dangers.
If any good has come out of the present situation, it must also be the love and kindness shown to those escaping from cities under fire and siege as they enter the neighbouring countries. In the past communities had long lived together with Russian, Ukrainean and Polish speakers together, but at intervals there had been harsh dominance by one or other of the language groups. This has not stood in the way of the very unselfish help now being offered.
Think about the different dark situations in our three readings today, all being experienced in a context of faith, and all pointing to some light in God’s plan for the world. Pray for all who are suffering now in dire circumstances, not just in Ukraine. Think also of how we might bring some light to the suffering millions. Do also ponder how these passages speak to us in our own situations.