A House Divided?

Finally, that, which appears to be a damning statement by Jesus, ‘Who are my mother and my brothers?’ we each have two families, the family of the church, and our earthly family. Jesus here is reminding us that the two at times can be very different, perhaps you have a family who you enjoy spending time with, and there is a mutual love or perhaps your earthly family doesn’t have faith and you find it difficult to be around them, possibly because they don’t understand you, or the choices you have made in your life, and these have caused strains on your relationships.

Then there is your Christian family, the ones who you share in the household of faith with. The ones who are there to support each other when others aren’t able to give that support, those who pay for you, as you pray for them, the ones with whom we all share the grace and love of our heavenly father. That isn’t to say that we don’t at times disagree, but hopefully it means that resolution to issues can be found in a more amicable and godly way, and a place where gossip and malice should have no right to exist.

But what does all of this mean to us, right here, right now?

Mark wrote his gospel in a way which causes us to look deep, to be challenged, and I hope that as we continue to walk through this season he will continue to throw challenges at us.

Since last March we have been presented with one challenge after another, we have been forced to change, to look at everything that we do, to find new ways of living, and worshipping.

I continue to pray that things will ease in the next few months, and when we are at the point where social distancing is removed, then we can begin to look to restoring worship at Saints Barnabas and James. We will consider what this will look like in the future, and whilst we are all looking forward to returning to the three church buildings, we cannot, nor should we ignore or put aside all that has been learnt in this time where the three parishes have worked so deeply as one benefice and the strong bonds that have been created as we have come together for worship, and continued through these long months in welcoming people back as they have felt ready to enter church again.

Through this time of pandemic, and over the period to come until the restrictions are removed, we have and will continue to worship as one family in the Benefice, sharing our prayers, our praise and our hopes for the future, because just as Christ reminds us today ‘if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.’

Through these days, we have not been divided, we, in many ways have become more united than we have ever been before, through the necessity of safety and practicalities, Holy Trinity has served as our house of prayer, where the church of God, the people have gathered week in week out.

We have prayed for countless people, we have remembered the sacrifice of all key workers, and given thanks for their work. We have mourned our losses, and given thanks for answered prayers, and all of this together within the unity of our faith as brothers and sisters, as family.