Who Are We Forgetting?

The growing dissension within the world-wide Anglican Communion has prompted a plethora of commanding and emotive statements from numerous luminaries, clergy, and members of the public. It is a tribute to our democratic freedoms that we possess the ability to make our positions of faith and beliefs public.

But there is equally a large number of people who do not possess the mechanisms to participate in these public forums. Among them are the elderly who have faithfully served God and their church all of their lives.

In the twilight of their years they have no interest or desire to become embroiled in ministerial politics, or supposed advancements in spiritual enlightenment. Instead, they are seeking to find comfort in the bosom of their faith, as they prepare themselves for that brief moment of darkness, which awakens to new a new dawn.

As the ‘enlightened’ battle it out with one another, the innocent become forgotten, they’re left confused, hurt, and often bitter. And most certainly deserted by their family – the very foundation upon which our churches were built – Christ’s family.

When Jesus chose the twelve disciples to be His close companions, during the three years of His public ministry, who would have thought that in His hour of need one turned out to be a traitor, one denied that he ever knew Him and the others deserted Him and ran away. In Pilate's judgement hall He stood isolated and alone and when they led Him away to crucify Him, He was left to carry His cross with not a single companion in sight.

It’s easy to understand something of what Jesus was going through. Betrayal, denial, and desertion are bitter experiences and can often leave a permanent imprint on our hearts and minds.

The cross was like a shadow across Jesus' life from the very beginning and grew darker and more threatening as time passed.

No wonder Jesus said, 'If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.'

Whatever we do, whatever position we take, we must not forget our elders, who deserve and need the respect and comfort from their family church. Failing to do so is to ignore the rubrics of our faith.

Lord Jesus, You humbled Yourself in taking the form of a servant and in obedience died on the cross for our salvation. Let us not forget Your humble servants who have served You all their lives. Give us the mind to follow You, as Your Son has taught us, in adherence to Your word, and not for our own convenience. Amen

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Parable of The Mouse Trap

Whilst it’s an old parable, considering all the turmoil our world is facing today - division within the Anglican Church, the workplace, a community, or even the family home - the story offers a wonderful perspective on living.

A mouse looked through the crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife open a package. ’What food might this contain?’ he wondered. He was devastated to discover it was a mousetrap.

Retreating to the farmyard, the mouse proclaimed the warning. ’There’s a mousetrap in the house! There’s mousetrap in the house!’

The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said, ‘Mr. Mouse, I can tell this is a grave concern to you, but it is of no consequence to me. I cannot be bothered by it.’

The mouse turned to the pig and told him, ‘There is a mousetrap in the house.’ The pig sympathised, but said, ‘I am so very sorry, Mr. Mouse, but there is nothing I can do about it but pray. Be assured you are in my prayers.’

The mouse turned to the cow. She said, ‘Wow, Mr. Mouse! I'm sorry for you, but it’s no skin off my nose.’ So, the mouse returned to the house, head down and dejected, to face the farmer’s mousetrap alone.

That very night a sound was heard throughout the house - like the sound of a mousetrap catching its prey. The farmer’s wife rushed to see what was caught. In the darkness, she couldn’t see that it was a venomous snake whose tail the trap had caught.

The snake bit the farmer’s wife. The farmer rushed her to the hospital, and she returned home with a fever.

Everyone knows you treat a fever with fresh chicken soup, so the farmer took his hatchet to the farmyard for the soup’s main ingredient. Arrivederci chicken!

But his wife’s sickness continued, so friends and neighbours came to sit with her around the clock. To feed them, the farmer butchered the pig. Arrivederci Pig!

The farmer's wife never got well: she died. So many people came for her funeral the farmer had the cow slaughtered to provide enough meat for all of them. Arrivederci Cow!

So the next time you hear someone is facing a problem and think it doesn’t concern you, remember, when one of us is threatened, we are all at risk.

In the book of Genesis, Cain said this about Abel his brother, to our God: ‘Am I my brother's keeper?’

We are all involved in this journey called life. Keeping an eye out for one another and actually making the effort to be involved is what gives God pleasure. The investment may take time and resources, but the rewards are priceless!



Lord God, Help us to see all that is in our world, to see that an individual’s need is not just their need alone. Help us to force open the doors of our churches, and the hearts and minds of the people within, so that our celebrations draw others in and not keep people out. Let us bring light to those who live in darkness. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen

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