e-newsletter 10 January
Beloved in Christ
We celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany on Sunday, although the actual feast day was on Monday 6thJanuary. I have been thinking of that epic journey through this frosted season, specially whilst trudging through my first northern hemisphere winter.
I have decided to share the great poem read by its poet, T S Eliot, so that you can enjoy his own voice. https://youtu.be/BCVnuEWXQcg
| T. S. Eliot reads “Journey of the Magi”Check out my Twitter feed at https://twitter.com/bob_toomey.A rare recording taken from a live interview T. S. Eliot did for the BBC, broadcast during World …youtu.be |
Now, we too journey to gift the Christ-child with ourselves. As Pope Francis says, may we be attentive, untiring and courageous specially during this extended lockdown: it has been a hard, long and uncomfortable journey, with great expectations, calling us to use our endurance, patience, wisdom and knowledge to get us there. (Did you know that on the 21 December 2000 Saturn and Jupiter aligned, giving the brightest star seen for 800 years, and before that, perhaps reaching back to the time of Christ!) It is time to be led by faith, which is proven attestation to it becoming proven fact!
We found friends, co-journey-ers, weary travellers and even those who did not have our own interests at heart; we had to deal with the demons of our minds, which tugged us, lured us away from our direct calling to see the Incarnation of God! We would also have met the maniacal leaders like the Herods of our time, playing friend, protector, leader, but in truth, a deadly enemy.
We were all trusting that lockdown would ease up, and we re-discovered different joy – a small parcel gift of hours which could be spent with family, and as we went to church, to nativity scenes, carols, baubles and lights – and met our dear friends.
Now like the Magi, we find that lockdown has made our journey back ever-wearying, endless featureless and bleak, to be honest, just like the Magi, whose return home made them world-weary and cynical.
However, as much as we have to endure, remember and refresh ourselves, we too know that our lives will be changed forever, set in the memory of 2020 Covid.
Yet, dear friends, we have a lifetime of Christmas memories to cherish, a stable and co-operative community, the love and support of each other, so we shall become more and more positive and active in our love of Christ and in our reaching out to each other.
That is my prayer: will you join me? We give thanks for this and so much more, and yearn to re-unite as soon as the time is right.
READINGS FOR SUNDAY ARE:
Isaiah 60:1-6; Ephes. 3:1-12
Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14
Matthew 2: 1-12
Please see the attached invitation to join the new group in, ’JOIN THE CONVERSATION’. It is on this TUESDAY, the 12th at 7pm till 8pm, on Zoom. Would you please email wassap or message or phone me to say whether you will be able to come or not. It is a big step in faith and Zoom will connect our multi- denominational engagement. The topic, HOW DOES GOD GUIDE US? is enticing, isn’t it? I really urge you to commit yourself to this.
Next Wednesday, the 20th, our weekly Zoom chats resume. We will start on the project by reading the gospel of Mark, as in this Church Year B we will be studying this first gospel. It is short and seminal: only 14 chapters, so it will only take a few weeks. All you need is your own favourite translation, and be willing to take a turn in reading! I will re-send the link next week.
Our bishop has asked me to formally notify you of the nation-wide closure of places of worship until our Advisory Committee gives us the go-ahead. Our thinking, closing after Christmas day, was right, and we as vestries will talk further as we receive guidance.
We are planning the New Year, and have some weeks before Lent starts on the 17th February. Then the journey through Covid will surely ease as well.
I hope to be chatting to each of you on the phone soon.
God bless, stay at home safely, trustfully and courageously
—
Revd Katharine Ann Barrable M Ed., M Th.
Cell 07552503859
Grace and Peace be with you
St Mary's Scottish Episcopal Church 