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Shouts February 2021

Published on Friday 26th February 2021
by Jacqueline Dow

LENT ENCOUNTER 28^TH FEBRUARY 2021

Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a certain village, where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying. But Martha was distracted by her many tasks; so she came to him and asked; “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself?

Tell her then to help me.”

But the Lord answered her: “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her.”

Some people are amazing at social action aren’t they?

Some people are amazing at prayer and contemplation.

Some people are even amazing at both!!

To be honest I can feel inadequate and that can stop me altogether!

And that’s no good!

I wonder which one calls to you?

I wonder which one fits best?

The story before this in the Bible is the well-known Good Samaritan which ends “Go, and do thou likewise”

Whereas this week’s story ends ”Sit down and listen”!!!

Maybe this is a call for balance, a time to consider or reconsider.......

maybe a plan for action AND contemplation.

PRAYER

Lord, this week may I aim for a balance between action and contemplation.

I commit to trying and so I will make a plan......

Published on Friday 19th February 2021
by Chris Osborne

Published on Wednesday 17/02/2021
by Graham Carter

ENCOUNTERS WITH JESUS

This week in our Lent studies of Encounters with Jesus, our reading takes us to the very first recorded Miracle where Jesus is reported to have turned the water into wine. Reading the account, we note that Jesus says that His time is not yet come. Yet, nevertheless, when the servants persist, his mother tells them to do what he says and behold they take the water to the Master of Ceremonies who, in turn, asks to the Bridegroom why he had reserved the best wine until last!

To get to understand this account we have to realise that marriage ceremonies differ in their cultural context and in the culture of the time and place, marriage is a different experience to that in our society. According to tradition, the ceremony went on a for a week and it was considered a discourtesy not to attend, somewhat different to our experiences, where often the bride’s and groom’s families have to negotiate the number of guests!! Even in my lifetime the culture of weddings has changed dramatically from the wedding ceremony and reception to now being extended to include an evening, when guests, who were not part of the wedding ceremony, can come and celebrate with the happy couple.

So what, you may ask, does this event say to us? Here we see Jesus in a different light to events that follow. He is at the very beginning of His Life’s work, not yet ready to take on that responsibility but instead relaxing and enjoying the company of His mother and His friends. Here He is being very human and retiring but enjoying the whole atmosphere of the event.

Are we sometimes too busy to sit back, relax and enjoy the opportunities to engage with pastimes and company, focussing on being too busy doing? I know that I have too often been too busy in doing, rather than being, feeling guilty about just relaxing and enjoying the world and people around me.

As we remember the journey that Jesus inexorably took to Jerusalem and His trial, crucifixion and death, let us not forget that, in His humanity, Christ was able to relax and enjoy His humanity for this brief moment.

Worship

Shouts February 2021