Dear All
Today we celebrated Mothering Sunday – we enjoyed some rousing hymns accompanied by James.
Many thanks to Liz Mac for arranging the spring bouquets which were beautiful.
Not too late to do this – The Ignatian Spirituality Centre is offering a course for Lent, available online or from a book. This year the theme is “Lives to Inspire” it is set in the usual context of a piece of art, music, biblical text and reflection. The ISC courses are always excellent, so I thoroughly recommend this as a resource for Lenten Devotions. Books are available at church or online at onlineprayer.net.
Helen has made a request for a couple of volunteers to go on the church cleaning rota. Anyone willing to help please contact Helen or me.
The Bishop’s Lent Appeal this year is for the Mothers’ Union’s Away From It All (AFIA) project which provides holidays for families who would not otherwise be able to get away for a break.
There are several ways of giving
- Take a lent box home and return to the church after Easter
- Donate in the basket which will be on the coffee table during the remainder of Lent
- make a payment to the church bank account, clearly labelled Lent Appeal. The account is St Andrew’s Church Vestry, sort code 80-08-98 account number 00794929
There is also a Just Giving page online – Diocese of Glasgow & Galloway is fundraising for Mothers Union Diocese of Glasgow & Galloway (justgiving.com)
This Week
Tuesday – 10am Prayer Group in the Garden Room
Thursday 10am – Said Holy Communion followed by coffee in Friendship House
Church Walk on Saturday 1st April – We meet at 10 am on Saturday April 1st at Balmore. Cars can be parked beside the old nursery beyond the former Coachhouse. The walk is along the Kelvin, across the fields to the canal, and back from Cadder to Balmore, c 3 ½ miles. Soup and cake back at St Andrew’s c 12.30,
Services for Holy Week
Wednesday 5th April Said Holy Communion 11.30am – All Saints
Thursday 6th April 10am Sung Eucharist for Maundy Thursday – St Andrew’s
Friday 7th April 2pm – Good Friday – Service of the Cross – St Andrew’s
Readings for next Sunday – 5th Sunday of Lent – Passion Sunday – Ezekiel 37:1-14 Romans 8:6-11 John 11:1-45
Today’s readings – Exodus 2:1-10 2 Corinthians 1:3-7 Luke 2:33-35
Mothering Sunday is a festival which always falls on the fourth Sunday of Lent. It dates to medieval times when people made pilgrimages to their mother church, which was their cathedral church, later by about the17th century it became the custom for young people in domestic service to return home to see their mothers and family bearing gifts of spring flowers.
Nowadays it has become a somewhat more secular and commercial event, but it is still an occasion to acknowledge the wonder of motherhood and to show appreciation for all who have cared for us.
In the bible we have various illustrations of motherhood. In the Old Testament we heard the charming story of Moses in the bulrushes, we hear how Pharaoh’s daughter saves and looks after the baby boy, she cares for him and nurtures him takes responsibility for him as if he were her own.
In the gospels both Luke and Matthew open with the birth narrative stories concluding in Luke with the presentation of Jesus in the temple where we hear the chilling words of Simeon to Mary, “and a sword will pierce your own soul too” referring to the deep pain of motherhood on witnessing your own child’s suffering.
In John’s gospel we have the very moving scene of Jesus on the cross dying in great pain but thinking of the welfare of his mother and his dearest disciple.
However, in all the gospels Jesus’ message of love is far out reaching. It goes much further than the parameters of the family, “Who are my brothers and sisters” he says. Matt 12:48
Love is not an emotion saved only for family members, Christian love is for all people, we are all brothers and sisters in the love of Christ.
For many people mothering Sunday is a painful time. Many of us no longer have our mothers with us. So, it’s a time of reflection of what has been and in some case, what might have been but wasn’t.
Mothering Sunday is relational in its nature, and relationships are all about feelings and emotion. At the heart of many of our relationships is the emotion of love. But as we all know love can be costly and love can be painful.
In the gospel this morning we have the wonderful scene of Mary entering the temple with her new born son to present him to the Lord. Guided by the Holy Spirit Simeon also enters the temple at the same time. He blesses the baby – he is full of praise and adoration as it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die till he had seen the Messiah. In great joy and celebration, he says,
“Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.” Luke 2:29-32
But then he says the words “And a sword will pierce your own soul too.” Luke 2:35 Mary must have felt a chill down her spine on hearing those words. For they are words which foretell the passion, the crucifixion, and so by implication the costliness and pain of love.
In the stories of our lives, I’m sure we can all recall many times when our souls may have been pierced. But unlike some of our stories and unlike big media stories, Simeon’s words may speak of pierced souls, but his main message is Salvation “for my eyes have seen your salvation” he says Luke 2.30
Salvation – this is what we will be celebrating as we gather at Easter. The baby we read about in this morning’s gospel, presented in the temple by his mother, was the long-awaited messiah. He would grow up to teach a gospel of love and forgiveness, healing our souls and relationships, and he would ultimately rise from death to new life, bringing new life to all.
On this mothering Sunday we give thanks for all who have loved and nurtured us in our lives, for all who in various ways have brought salvation to us.
All a reflection of God’s love for us as referred to in Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians which we have just heard.
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God” 2 Corinthians 1: