Time to reflect
Daily we are adding to our number – both of those who are joining our mailing list (welcome!) and the many different voices contributing to our daily reflections. Today’s comes from Paul Clough, from St. Benedict’s Gyffin, who reflects on how this extraordinary time we’re living through resonates with the period between Easter and Pentecost – a time given precisely for reflection.
It’s a gift that we can do this together. Thank you everyone who is sending in photos of yourselves to greet one another through this season. If you haven’t yet sent yours in – here’s the link!
Please keep scrolling, reading, praying and sharing …
“Happy Easter Season!”
from Stuart and Rosemary
(St. Mary’s Conwy)
under our apple tree in Dwygyfylchi.
“Getting these daily reflections to my home in Ipswich
Happy Easter”
from Liz How
(a visitor to Llanbedr-y-Cennin).
“Easter Greetings!”
from Les Wylde in Lincolnshire
enjoying receiving these reflections at the time our local church is closed for worship.
Glory in the valley
living between the Resurrection and Pentecost
For us, this Social Distancing can be a waiting time of reflection and renewal. The disciples had to come to terms with the Resurrection and their own relationship with the risen Lord. Like us, some needed encouragement, others needed to be challenged – and in Peter’s case, face up to failure and the need for repentance and forgiveness. Whether we are challenged or encouraged in our faith, these stories remind us that God is at work in us through this waiting time of reflection, and in him we have a future and a hope.
This prayer seems particularly apt. It is from a book by my father-in-law Arthur Bennett:-
‘Lord High and Holy, meek and Lowly
You have brought me to the valley of vision,
Where I live in the depths but see thee in the heights;
Hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold thy glory
Let me learn by paradox
That the way down is the way up,
That to be low is to be high,
That the broken heart is the healed heart,
That the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit
That to bear the cross is to wear the crown
Lord in the daytime the stars can be seen from the deepest wells,
Let me find thy light in my darkness,
Thy joy in my sorrow
Thy grace in my sin,
Thy riches in my poverty,
Thy glory in my valley.’
Therefore, God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me, not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
© Nat. Council Churches of Christ USA
Bydded gofal gan bob un ohonoch, nid am eich buddiannau eich hunain yn unig ond am fuddiannau pobl eraill hefyd. Amlygwch yn eich plith eich hunain yr agwedd meddwl honno sydd, yn wir, yn eiddo i chwi yng Nghrist Iesu. Er ei fod ef ar ffurf Duw, ni chyfrifodd fod cydraddoldeb â Duw yn beth i’w gipio, ond fe’i gwacaodd ei hun, gan gymryd ffurf caethwas a dyfod ar wedd ddynol. O’i gael ar ddull dyn, fe’i darostyngodd ei hun, gan fod yn ufudd hyd angau, ie, angau ar groes.
Am hynny tra-dyrchafodd Duw ef, a rhoi iddo’r enw sydd goruwch pob enw, fel wrth enw Iesu y plygai pob glin yn y nef ac ar y ddaear a than y ddaear, ac y cyffesai pob tafod fod Iesu Grist yn Arglwydd, er gogoniant Duw Dad.
Gan hynny, fy nghyfeillion annwyl, fel y buoch bob amser yn ufudd, felly yn awr, nid yn unig fel pe bawn yn bresennol, ond yn fwy o lawer gan fy mod yn absennol, gweithredwch, mewn ofn a dychryn, yr iachawdwriaeth sy’n eiddo ichwi; oblegid Duw yw’r un sydd yn gweithio ynoch i beri ichwi ewyllysio a gweithredu i’w amcanion daionus ef.
Prayer
For the healing of all that has fallen away from good,
let us pray to the Lord.
Bless us with the humility that was in Christ.
Following him in poverty of spirit and lowliness of heart,
may your people have grace
to share the riches that he brought to fallen humanity.
We pray in the name of Christ,
by whom we are raised to new life. Amen.
Gadewch inni weddïo ar yr Arglwydd
dros bob un sydd wedi troi ei gefn ar ddaioni.
Bendithia ni â’r gostyngeiddrwydd a oedd yng Nghrist.
Gan ei ddilyn ef mewn gostyngeiddrwydd calon ac ysbryd,
bydded i’th bobl gael gras
i rannu’r cyfoeth a ddygodd ef i’r ddynoliaeth syrthiedig.
Gweddïwn yn enw Crist,
trwy’r hwn y’n codir ni i fywyd newydd. Amen.
Click here for previous daily reflections from our Ministry Team.
caruconwy.com 