Today is the Third Sunday of Lent, the season of the Church’s year when we prepare for the events of Holy Week and Good Friday. It is a season of reflection and penitence. Today’s Gospel reading from John invites us to call to mind how Jesus cleansed the Temple in Jerusalem as part of his preparation for the new order that he was bringing into being. The narrative of Jesus cleansing the temple occurs in all four gospels. The story is treated very differently by John. While the other three gospels place the story after the Palm Sunday entry into Jerusalem at the beginning of Holy Week, John places the story at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. The key image for John is that Jesus not only cleanses the temple but replaces it. Just as the temple was the meeting place between God and the people of God in the old order, so, after the resurrection, Jesus is that meeting place in the new order. Here is one of the images of Messiahship held out during Lent. For those of you who wanted to do some thinking and preparation for today’s service during the preceding week, I invited you to reflect on the image of spring cleaning. In today’s picture from his book The Grumpy Day, Teddy Horsley is getting ready to help with the spring cleaning at home. He likes using the vacuum cleaner. Next Sunday, the Fourth Sunday of Lent, focuses our attention on the theme of night and darkness that plays such an important part in John’s Gospel. The image to help prepare for next Sunday is darkness. You can find out more about that theme here https://www.prayerforliverpool.org/prayer-resources.html. We would really appreciate you letting us know how you are using these materials. Please send us your ideas and photos of the things you may create; email them to Nelson.Pike@liverpoolcathedral.org.uk. To find out more about Teddy Horsley and his book, The Grumpy Day, follow this link to his page under the Resources Page of St. Mary’s Centre website: http://www.st-marys-centre.org.uk/resources/TeddyHorsley.html. You can also visit Teddy’s website here: https://teddyhorsley.org/. We warmly invite you to join us in worship today here: Teddy Horsley sends his Sunday greetings to all. Canon Leslie
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Holding on to a stone parapet for dear life, head spinning just a little with vertigo, I looked out over the city as the wind whistled past, and Les, head of the Cathedral Constables, proudly pointed out landmarks from the vantage point of two thirds of the way up the Cathedral Tower. A month in to my new role as Canon Precentor it was an experience that has resonated. But I was warned. At ordination priests are reminded that the ministry is not one we can sustain in our own strength, but only with the constant aid and presence of God. Our gathering in the morning and evening to pray shapes the Cathedral's day, and mine, moments of profound stability, even when hearing the searing words of the prophet Jeremiah, as we do in Lent. The presence and aid of God, who is good, who is with us, without whom we fall, but who raises us up on high, through simple, extravagant love. At Evensong hearing our remarkable choral scholars and organists magnifying God. It is good to be here. I have encountered some remarkable people already in these last weeks, colleagues, musicians, regular worshippers, and this week, the dignified and heartbroken family of a young woman killed in her prime. God is here, in the midst of the city, a blessing, the font of hope and grit for the days ahead; playfully calling us away from weariness to soar again, as our great building does, lifting our eyes to the hills, to the joy at the heart of everything, the giddy horizons and infinite life that it is our incredible destiny to enjoy, hidden with Christ in God forever. Canon Philip While you're here: Why not prepare for next Sunday's worship? Our preparation sheet for adults and for children can be accessed by clicking on the Resources tab of this website: https://www.prayerforliverpool.org/prayer-resources.html. As we begin to move slowly out of Lockdown, we can look back on the past 12 months and reflect on how we have used the time given to us. When we were first told to stay at home, I had a spurt of energy and cleared out cupboards and drawers quite ruthlessly. It felt good to be doing something useful. I set a pattern for daily walks building it up slowly until it came to a point where I felt I had missed something if I hadn’t gone out for my daily exercise. One of the challenges I set myself was to tidy up all the files that I had covering my Family History research. My father was born in Burma, now Myanmar. As a child I was never really interested in a place so far away and my dad never spoke much about his childhood. It wasn’t until he was coming near to the end of his life that he began to talk about his life in Burma. It became an ambition for me to travel to Burma one day and through the Liverpool Diocesan Mothers’ Union Link with Burma this became more than a dream. I talked with some of the Trustees who had visited Burma and learnt more about our link. We had a visit From Bishop Barnabas from Burma to a Diocesan meeting. He needed an interpreter and a young Burmese priest from London came up to help. Rev David Haokip. David and I have kept in touch and he is now a priest in the Southwark Diocese. In 2001 I was able to join a tour group visiting Burma. We were an interesting mix of people; some had been born in Burma when their fathers were in the British Army. Others had fought in Burma during WW2. It was fascinating learning from their stories and different experiences. I had taken with me gifts from Mother’s Union and was able to meet with Daw Rhody, The wife of the Bishop of Rangoon and the President of Mothers’ Union in Rangoon. We were able to exchange greetings, visit together and meet with the staff of Holy Cross Theological College. This was where I met Saw Maung Doe who was on the staff of the college, and his wife Joanna. We became very good friends. Doe came over to Oxford several times during the next few years to complete his studies and he was able to visit Liverpool. He came to the Cathedral and my own church whilst staying with me. In 2006, I was able to return to Burma as a guest of Saw Maung Doe and his wife Joanna. I spent two weeks visiting various church communities and experiencing the work that the churches and especially Mothers’ Union were doing round the country. It was humbling to see how committed families were to their Bible studies and church groups. The Mothers’ Union had a full programme of activities for the young women covering, Health Care, Food management, Bible studies. The women travelled across Rangoon to take part in these groups. We visited schools and community groups and were able to share in their activities and worship. On this visit I was able to see places connected to my family. On some occasions this was quite difficult as we were straying on to areas that were guarded by the Military, so we simply had to drive past and not stop. At all times during my visit I felt very safe and well cared for. God was with us wherever we went and shone through in the lives of these very special people who have remained a big part of my life. They people of Myanmar are always in my thoughts and prayers and especially now at this time of unrest. We have found these times of lockdown difficult, but we know that it will come to an end soon and there will be no violence. In many ways our worship has grown with all the advantages of technology we can access. I pray for the church and its leaders in Myanmar and hope that they can continue to worship in church or at home as they wait to see what the future holds. This Lent we should think about all those Christians around the world who are tortured for their faith or must worship in secret. We give thanks for our freedom to worship and pray for disadvantaged and isolated Christians throughout the world. Lord God, we pray for the world we inhabit, for those who lead and make the important decisions; for those who follow and those who have no voice. We pray for mercy and justice, compassion and integrity. Lord we want to pray about all the conflict in the world especially at this time we pray for the people of Myanmar, remembering Bishop Mark Doe and Joanna, Marilyn and Rachel and all our friends in Mothers’ Union. Keep them safe at this time of unrest in their country. In Jesus name we pray. Amen Canon Val While you're here: Why not prepare for next Sunday's worship? Our preparation sheet for adults and for children can be accessed by clicking on the Resources tab of this website: https://www.prayerforliverpool.org/prayer-resources.html. |
supporting you during these uncertain times AuthorLiverpool Cathedral is a place of encounter. Built by the people, for the people, to the Glory of God Archives
September 2022
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Prayer for Liverpool
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Liverpool Cathedral is a place of encounter.
Built by the people, for the people, to the Glory of God www.liverpoolcathedral.org.uk |