Spirit & Life

A Different Way of Being

Mt 11:16-19, 25-30

“But to what will I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to one another,

‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance;
we wailed, and you did not mourn.’

For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon’; the Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax

At that time Jesus said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Reflection

Jesus highlights the very human attitudes that can so easily develop when we allow ‘religion’ to override ‘faith’, when we lose sight of our being and belonging in the family God. It is too easy for practices to reflect judgement, myopic viewpoint and the contrary attitudes that comes with being ‘stiff-necked’ in our faith expressions. In so doing, we miss listening and learning, hearing God speak to us in so many unexpected ways. We miss the Wisdom of the Spirit being revealed to us, and lose the Way of Being to which Jesus calls us. Jesus’ prayer highlights that personal and gracious love that comes to us as we share time in the care of our loving God. In this season, so many people are weighed down in so many unexpected ways. Layers of complication have been added to our already layered life. The Way of Christ focuses our loving and being, and thinking and doing. Let us follow Jesus’ way to identify and lay down that which make the heavy burdens; to take rest in the midst of the layers of life and responsibilities; to learn through God’s gentle love, sharing and taking moments in the everyday; to find rest for our soul.

Prayer

Warming Presence
Warming Presence In A Morning Cuppa

Slowing in the midst of busyness,
I take this time, O God,
to focus on the warming cuppa
and share in this moment with you.

I give thanks for the time with you,
O timeless One.
It is I who pack so much into my days
that I miss you, and long for you.
You are never far away.

I give thanks for the warmth of the cup,
O Warming Presence.
As I hold it,
I am reminded that you hold me always.
It is I who step apart from our space together. 

I give thanks for the sweet smell, rising in the steam,
O Breath of Life.
I too often forget the simple joy
of finding new life and sweet goodness,
in the simple act of breathing in freshness,
and breathing out all that has passed.

 

I give thanks for sipping the comforting fluid,
O Refreshing One.
Too often, I miss the precious life-giving nourishment
In my quest for better or best.
This is the best, as it is now, here, present,
in the sipping and savouring of the drink.

I give thanks for the life-giving energy,
O Vital One.
As simply as drinking from this cup,
You offer energising vitality when I most need it,
And it is there, to sip and savour every ‘mouthful’
At any moment in my day.

So, as I take time in this moment,
feeling warmth,
breathing in sweetness of life,
breathing out, letting go of all that weighs me down,
I cherish the refreshing nourishment you offer,
And savour the renewing vitality,
in this moment, in this cup,
with thanks, O gentle, humble Giver of Life,
ever present, ever there. Amen

Rev Anne Hewitt

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0475 016 789

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