May 15th 2011

Spring is at last in the air. The trees are showing a faint lacy green and will soon be leaf.  I have seen daffodils, hyacinths and tulips. We greet each season as it comes with different preparation and emotion. Gone are the days when I greet winter with joy. The church too has its year with different seasons. Those seasons are built around the earthly life of our Saviour Jesus Christ. Thus we may follow his life during the year in worship, study and activity. Our Church year begins with the season of Advent. We are looking with expectation to his birth, but the important message of Advent is that we are looking forward to his coming again. In Epiphany through the coming of the wise men, we rejoice that Christ came also to the Gentiles. During the season of Epiphany we think of the church’s mission to the whole world. Turn to page 121 in our red BCP. There you will find the collect to be used during the weekdays of the Epiphany season. It contains the phrase “deliver the nations of the world from superstition and unbelief and gather them all into thy holy church.”

The season of Epiphany ends with Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent. In this season we are remembering the forty days and nights that Jesus spent alone in the wilderness surrendering himself to God and resisting the temptation of the devil. We too, in Lent, try to set ourselves tasks and privations that we may grow in the spirit and be ready to greet him with loud alleluias on Palm Sunday We stand at the foot the cross on Good Friday and enter the bewildering joy of Easter.

During this time, following his Resurrection, the disciples waited expecting something to happen. There were restless, bewildered but eager. They felt the urge to do something. They were buoyed up by Jesus’ sudden appearances among them when they learned from him.

This is the point where we have now arrived in our church year. What should our response be? How we can celebrate this season before the Ascension? May I suggest that it be the time of asking questions. Search out the Bible and prayer book especially the Collects. Question others and above all come into his presence with prayer.  God bless us all!