Sunday's coming!

Luke 13: 31-35, Genesis 15: 1-12, 17 & 18 Here we go, another week deeper into Lent, and another week closer to Holy Week and Easter. Last week I imagine you heard about the temptations of Jesus, and this week’s readings help us to focus on the trust Jesus shows, even though he knows that walking God’s way is walking the road that will lead to the cross. Jesus shows great courage when he is approached by some Pharisees, who say ‘get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you’. It seems  they are wanting to help Jesus to escape from Herod, to run and spare his life, perhaps so that Jesus can continue his teaching and healing ministry. But Jesus refuses to run. He does not underestimate the power or the malice of Herod – he calls him ‘ that fox’ - nor is he filled with bravado, believing that Herod won’t dare to confront him. Jesus recognises that his ministry will end, and echoes the forthcoming events of Easter ‘on the third day I finish my work’. Jesus is...

Deuteronomy 26: 1-11; Luke 4: 1-13 It has been a very strange start to Lent. Within the space of a week I received news of the death of a colleague, only 10 years older than me; of a friend of about my age; and of a friend’s daughter, 10 years younger. Instead of reflecting on the temptation of Jesus I have found myself reflecting on Ash Wednesday, and the words spoken as ashes are placed on your forehead ‘remember you are dust and to dust you shall return’. I will be honest with you – I came to the readings for this morning with a heavy heart, or maybe a desert heart – dry, lifeless, hard. I hope you understand what I mean by that sort of feeling: surely no-one’s life is exempt from the tough times. Death of loved ones, illness, unemployment – or the problems of the wider world: conflicts, refugees, climate change, crime. There are times when we simply have to struggle on and get through. I think whenever I have read this story of Jesus in the desert (and it comes ro...