Blessings from the Vicarage

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Dear Brothers and Sisters,

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Many years ago, when I was in training to be ordained, I went to a wonderful Lent lecture given by (as he was then) Archbishop Rowan Williams in Winchester Guildhall. I remember being in awe of his Biblical knowledge, his wisdom and the incredible depth and obvious love with which he talked to us of the enigma that is the Trinitarian God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. In his talk about the journey from Palm Sunday to Easter Day, he focused on Jesus’ journey from the cross to the resurrection and elucidated many angles of theological thought. At the end, he encouraged us to ask questions, which he answered so clearly and with such integrity, he gave us all inspiration to continue our training for ordination in earnest. Towards the end of this question time, someone asked him an interesting question in a cheeky way – “What would you do, if they found Jesus’ bones?!” Rowan was quiet for quite a while, and the whole hall fell into a hushed silence – we were all gazing at him intently – then again quietly but with such strength of faith that it took my breath away, he simply said with conviction, “I’d pray…”

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He wasn’t being dismissive, far from it – he took the question utterly seriously. In his further explanation of why he would pray, it was clear that this was not a ‘head in the sand’, blind faith response, but that his deep comprehension of the resurrection through in-depth study and his life long experience of celebrating Easter, allowed him to not only cope with this possibility but also wholly accept that we don’t know all the answers. Who knows, perhaps a resurrected body doesn’t need bones! The resurrection, I believe will always remain a mystery and we will only know more beyond this existence.

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In the Christian faith we celebrate Easter because, from eye-witness testimony in the New Testament, we believe that Jesus rose from the dead. Through this event, Jesus enabled us to know that death is not the end of life, but merely a gateway to not only knowing that there is an eternal element of our being, but also that we live in eternal life now. The information we have from the Gospels concerning the resurrection is very limited. The fact that from these written testimonies we learn that the first person to see the risen Jesus, Mary Magdalene (who lived so very close to him for around three years and who should have recognised him), didn’t recognise Him – only adds to the intrigue. Yet this conundrum does not detract from the fact that after this encounter, so very many more people in all the Gospels then saw, knew and had experience of the living Jesus after his death. Because Jesus rose again and ascended into heaven, we can still connect with God through Him and experience his ‘livingness’ with us now, which can bring great comfort, peace, hope and joy.

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At the very least, although thankfully not always the case, when the journey through death becomes complicated, painful and harrowing for both the person and their families and friends; not only the fact that Jesus endured this kind of death and so we know that God has intimate knowledge and experience of our sufferings and is with us in them; but also that the Good News of Jesus’ resurrection actually occurred and was experienced by the people of his time – this can ease anxiety and give hope that not everything is lost when a beloved one dies. The essence of their being, their spirit, their soul – whatever one would like to call it – remains part of eternal life - as actually it has always been in this life…

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This is the revelation that God gives us – that God gave us his only begotten Son, that whosoever should believe in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life…(John 3:16) John also wrote in his Gospel (14:1 – 3), Jesus says, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house there are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am you may be also.”

When we give gifts of Easter eggs and other presents on Easter day this year, may we realise that the greatest gift of all has been given to us in Jesus Christ.

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Happy Easter everyone!

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With love and prayers,

Jane

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P.S.: On 4th May at 6pm we will be holding a very special V.E. Day Choral evensong in St Mary’s Church – please come along to mark this strategic historical thanksgiving event.

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P.P.S. St Mary’s School in Frensham is looking for a new Foundational Governor and other governors for succession. A foundation governor needs to have a connection to Frensham Churches, but for other governors this is not necessary. It would also be useful to have skills of accountancy or law, teaching or knowledge and experience of building work. If you feel able to assist with the wonderful work of our precious infants’ school by becoming a governor, please contact Rev Jane or the school directly (info@stmarys-frensham.surrey.sch.uk) The governing body are a dedicated and dynamic team, ensuring the safe, loving and exciting development of our children. Do come on board!