Today is the Fifth Sunday of Easter. In this week’s reflection on our Collect, I want us to think a little about what it meant for the human Jesus to willingly suffer the agonies of crucifixion — for us.

The crucifixion of Jesus was a truly horrific event. You don’t have to look too hard on the internet to find a graphic description of what happens to the human body in a crucifixion: there are many websites that will happily serve that up for you, and take great delight in doing so, no matter how it might make you feel. As far as I can see, though, most of what’s available appears to be condensed from “The Crucifixion of Jesus Christ” by C. Truman Davis, M.S. March, 1965.

One such page can be found on the ethoughts website. It has what it claims to be a medical description of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, which has a warning at the top, “This may disturb you, so don’t read it if you don’t want to; it’s pretty horrific…”. If, after reading that warning, you still want to read the page, you can find it by clicking here.

But it’s the reality of what crucifixion is that actually makes the whole event even more remarkable. Jesus would have known all about the horrors of crucifixion. It was something the Romans had been doing all too frequently for a number of years, and others had used it as a punishment before them too. Jesus and his disciples would have seen many people hanging from crosses as they journeyed around the Holy Land. He would have known the agonies and horrors the victims of crucifixion suffered. He would have seen it with his own eyes, and heard it with his own ears — and smelled it with his own nose. In that land, at that time, it would have been unavoidable.

Even so, knowing what he would face, Jesus still went to Jerusalem, where he would put himself in the most danger. He could have gone anywhere. Jesus could have avoided what was to happen. But he didn’t. He willingly gave himself up knowing full well what doing so would mean.

Why? Why would any man do that? The answer is “Love”. Love for the world; Love for those around him; and Love for each and every one of us. He opened wide his arms on the cross for us, because he loves us. His wounds, what he suffered on the cross, are proof of that love for the world — his wounds declare his love for the world.

Jesus loves each and every one of us so much, that he was willing to die an agonizing death on the cross for us. He once said, “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends…” (John 15:13-14a).

We are his friends, and he laid down his life for us; because he loves us.

Risen Christ,
your wounds declare your love for the world
and the wonder of your risen life:
give us compassion and courage
to risk ourselves for those we serve,
to the glory of God the Father.

Additional Collect for The Fifth Sunday of Easter
is Copyright © The Archbishops Council

The clocks went back last night, at least here in the UK, which means the darkness closes in around us earlier, and the nights seem so much longer. Tomorrow is the 1st November, All Saints’ Day. At Godmanchester, along with many Churches, we always transfer this important festival to the nearest Sunday. I’m doing the same here too.

November can be a time of despair; fallen leaves, rain, dampness and fog, with little else ahead but the dismal winter. But the festival of All Saints’, which we celebrate today, shines like a ray of sunshine at the beginning of these dark days.

All Saints’ Day brings to mind the ordinary people down the ages who were friends of God. The people who didn’t hold important positions in life. Their names don’t appear on the Church’s official role of honour. They’re not canonized saints. But God remembers them.

They’re the common people from all walks of life, who in their day tried to live the Christian life to the full. They’re our family, and our friends. And, like us, they experienced the trials of growing up, the tensions of living with others, and all the normal difficulties and uncertainties of life. They had to cope with their own personal problems and weaknesses. However great their difficulties and faults, they accepted that God loved them and relied on the strength of that love more than anything else.

As we follow in the steps of our friends and family, saints, who have gone before us; we also get a glimpse into our own glorious future, our eternal destiny. As we honour the vast army of God’s friends, we also ask God’s favour, that where they are now, so we too may be in the future. We pray that one day this will be our feast as well.

God of holiness,
your glory is proclaimed in every age:
as we rejoice in the faith of your saints,
inspire us to follow their example
with boldness and joy;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Additional Collect for All Saints’ Day
is Copyright © The Archbishops Council

The legend that is Joe Cocker has been around for as long as I’ve been listening to music — and is still going strong, having just released another album. But he has always been at his best when playing live on stage. I found this video of him singing the classic, With A Little Help From My Friends, live at a concert in Berlin in 1980. It still sends shivers down my spine when I listen to it.

Today is the Fifth Sunday of Easter. In this week’s reflection on our Collect, I want us to think a little about what it meant for the human Jesus to willingly suffer the agonies of crucifixion — for us.

The crucifixion of Jesus was a truly horrific event. You don’t have to look too hard on the internet to find a graphic description of what happens to the human body in a crucifixion: there are many websites that will happily serve that up for you, and take great delight in doing so, no matter how it might make you feel. As far as I can see, though, most of what’s available appears to be condensed from “The Crucifixion of Jesus Christ” by C. Truman Davis, M.S. March, 1965.

One such page can be found on the ethoughts website. It has what it claims to be a medical description of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, which has a warning at the top, “This may disturb you, so don’t read it if you don’t want to; it’s pretty horrific…”. If, after reading that warning, you still want to read the page, you can find it by clicking here.

But it’s the reality of what crucifixion is that actually makes the whole event even more remarkable. Jesus would have known all about the horrors of crucifixion. It was something the Romans had been doing all too frequently for a number of years, and others had used it as a punishment before them too. Jesus and his disciples would have seen many people hanging from crosses as they journeyed around the Holy Land. He would have known the agonies and horrors the victims of crucifixion suffered. He would have seen it with his own eyes, and heard it with his own ears — and smelled it with his own nose. In that land, at that time, it would have been unavoidable.

Even so, knowing what he would face, Jesus still went to Jerusalem, where he would put himself in the most danger. He could have gone anywhere. Jesus could have avoided what was to happen. But he didn’t. He willingly gave himself up knowing full well what doing so would mean.

Why? Why would any man do that? The answer is “Love”. Love for the world; Love for those around him; and Love for each and every one of us. He opened wide his arms on the cross for us, because he loves us. His wounds, what he suffered on the cross, are proof of that love for the world — his wounds declare his love for the world.

Jesus loves each and every one of us so much, that he was willing to die an agonizing death on the cross for us. He once said, “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends…” (John 15:13-14a).

We are his friends, and he laid down his life for us; because he loves us.

Risen Christ,
your wounds declare your love for the world
and the wonder of your risen life:
give us compassion and courage
to risk ourselves for those we serve,
to the glory of God the Father.

Additional Collect for The Fifth Sunday of Easter
is Copyright © The Archbishops Council

The more I hear of the Casting Crowns, the more I like them. This is a great song, and, more importantly, a great prayer which says just what I needed. It comes from their album, “The Altar and the Door”.

Lord I lift my friend to you: You and he know who he is.

The clocks went back last weekend, at least here in the UK, which means the darkness closes in around us earlier, and the nights seem so much longer. The weather has been unseasonably mild this year, but that all looks set to change from today, and the weather will become much more autumnal.

November can be a time of despair; fallen leaves, rain, dampness and fog, with little else ahead but the dismal winter. But the festival of All Saints’, which we celebrate today, shines like a ray of sunshine at the beginning of these dark days.

All Saints’ Day brings to mind the ordinary people down the ages who were friends of God. The people who didn’t hold important positions in life. Their names don’t appear on the Church’s official role of honour. They’re not canonized saints. But God remembers them.

They’re the common people from all walks of life, who in their day tried to live the Christian life to the full. They’re our family, and our friends. And, like us, they experienced the trials of growing up, the tensions of living with others, and all the normal difficulties and uncertainties of life. They had to cope with their own personal problems and weaknesses. However great their difficulties and faults, they accepted that God loved them and relied on the strength of that love more than anything else.

As we follow in the steps of our friends and family, saints, who have gone before us; we also get a glimpse into our own glorious future, our eternal destiny. As we honour the vast army of God’s friends, we also ask God’s favour, that where they are now, so we too may be in the future. We pray that one day this will be our feast as well.

God of holiness,
your glory is proclaimed in every age:
as we rejoice in the faith of your saints,
inspire us to follow their example
with boldness and joy;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Additional Collect for All Saints’ Day
is Copyright © The Archbishops Council

True Friend

I found this story really quite moving. I was left wondering if I would have the courage to be such a friend.

As with so many of these I have no idea whether it’s a true story or not; but don’t think that matters too much.

Inspire us to follow their example

Today, November 1st, is All Saints’ Day. Many Churches, who don’t have a daily celebration, will be transferring this major feast day to tomorrow, so that it can be celebrated on a Sunday. That’s what we do at Godmanchester.

When you look at the Common Worship lectionary you can tell how important this feast is. The lectionary allows for a celebration of All Saints’ Day on the actual day, today; or on the nearest Sunday, tomorrow; or even on both days.

* * *

The clocks went back last weekend, which means the darkness closes in around us earlier, and the nights seem so much longer. November can be a time of despair; fallen leaves, rain, dampness and fog, with little else ahead but the dismal winter. But the festival of All Saints’ shines like a ray of sunshine at the beginning of these dark days.

All Saints’ Day brings to mind the ordinary people down the ages who were friends of God. The people who didn’t hold important positions in life. Their names don’t appear on the Church’s official role of honour. They’re not canonized saints. But God remembers them.

They’re the common people from all walks of life, who in their day tried to live the Christian life to the full. They’re our family, and our friends. And, like us, they experienced the trials of growing up, the tensions of living with others, and all the normal difficulties and uncertainties of life. They had to cope with their own personal problems and weaknesses. However great their difficulties and faults, they accepted that God loved them and relied on the strength of that love more than anything else.

As we follow in the steps of our friends and family, saints, who have gone before us; we also get a glimpse into our own glorious future, our eternal destiny. As we honour the vast army of God’s friends, we also ask God’s favour, that where they are now, so we too may be in the future. We pray that one day this will be our feast as well.

God of holiness,
your glory is proclaimed in every age:
as we rejoice in the faith of your saints,
inspire us to follow their example
with boldness and joy;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

All Saints’ Day
is Copyright © The Archbishops Council