Finding the perfect gift for your family is always a difficult call. I have my sister’s birthday in February and then my daughter’s birthday in March followed by my wife’s birthday in April and then another sister's in May. I am always at a loss to know what to give them and usually give up and ask them what they would like. Our Father God has a similar problem but in reverse. Only He can give us what He longs to receive – the perfect love and obedience of a son/daughter of God. Only one person has fulfilled that description, Jesus himself. He alone lived such a life, only he can come into God’s presence, as John the gospel writer tells us: “No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from Heaven – the Son of Man” John 3: 13 So there’s the riddle that Jesus posed. “How do you enter the Kingdom of God” Answer – You can’t! Why? “Because only the Son of man can enter the Kingdom of Heaven, only he is perfect” Our Father God has a problem, not unlike the parent who buys a present for his child to give to him! How then does God do what we cannot do for ourselves? This riddle is the theme of our painting this week. ‘The Trinity’ tells the story of a perfect gift, a gift the Father God has chosen himself. Masaccio 1401- 1428 ‘The Trinity’ (1427) The fresco ‘The Trinity’ considered to be Masaccio’s masterwork, is the earliest surviving painting to use linear perspective. To ensure the precise transfer of the perspective lines from the sketch to the plaster, Masaccio inserted a nail at the vanishing point under the base of the Cross and attached strings to it. The marks of the preparatory works are still visible. The perfect gift The story told by the fresco has an amusing twist to it, though I don’t think the donors quite appreciated it at the time. They are seen kneeling, a man in red and his wife in black, at the base of the Cross, presenting their gift to God. However, standing behind the crucified Christ we see the figure of the Father God with his arms outstretched presenting His gift to them - the gift of His Son. The figure of Mary, the mother of Jesus, looks towards them with her hand pointing them towards her Son. Her words to them seem to echo the words of St John: ‘ For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. John 3: 16 The message is clear, this is the perfect gift, the gift God gives to us that we might offer not ourselves, but Jesus, the only gift acceptable to God. ‘Nothing in my hands I bring, Simply to thy Cross, I cling; Naked, come to Thee for dress, Helpless, look to Thee for grace: Foul, I to the fountain fly, Wash me saviour or I die.’ Rock of ages The question on Nicodemus' mind as he approached Jesus seems to be: ‘What can I do to enter the Kingdom of God’ The problem is in fact the exact reverse of the one Nicodemus thought he faced! The question asked by Jesus is ‘What can God do for us’ or to put it another way what are the gifts that God has given to us? So let’s look at these gifts. Water and the Spirit. “I tell you the truth. No one can enter the Kingdom of God unless he is born of the water and the Spirit” John 3: 5 The picture of water reminds us of Baptism, but it is Jesus’ baptism that John points to. It was for our sake that he was baptised, offering up to God his life of perfect obedience and faith and ultimately taking on himself our sins. He gave to his Father God the gift that we could not offer so we could enter into God’s kingdom! “Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to Spirit”. John 3: 6 The picture Jesus gives us of the Spirit is of a wind that comes to us as a gift, gently refreshing and life-giving. We cannot control it only feel and enjoy its cool breath. So it is with God’s love reaching out to us, refreshing us, and embracing us, giving us life. Both the water and the Spirit are pictures of what God has done for us through Jesus Christ. He has given us the perfect gifts that our Father God wishes to receive so that we can give ourselves to Him. Looking to Jesus. Jesus draws one more picture, the snake that was lifted high on a stake in the desert in the time of Moses. Those who looked on the snake were healed, just one look was enough. God’s final and best gift to us is Jesus, lifted high on a stake so that all who look to him in faith might be healed. This must have been, I believe, the image in the mind of Masaccio as he painted his fresco, all we can do, and must do to find life is to look on him and trust in his love for us. Rev. Simon Brignall. A Requiem Mass will be held for Rory Young at Cirencester Parish Church at 2.00 pm on Thursday 9th March. This Week Lent Lunch at The Gables 12.00 noon. Donations to a chosen charity. Lent Group 'Christ in the Wilderness' at The Old Rectory 7.00 pm Thursday 9th March Fairtrade Fortnight. Clare has a Fairtrade stall at the Quenington coffee morning. Prayer for Ukraine God of peace and justice we pray for the people of Ukraine today, and the laying down of weapons. we pray for all those who fear for tomorrow, that your spirit of comfort would draw near to them. We pray for those with power over war and peace, for wisdom, discernment, and compassion to guide their decisions Above all, we pray for all your precious children at risk and in fear, That you would hold and protect them. We pray in the name of Jesus, the Prince of Peace. Amen Best wishes Rev Simon Brignall I am contactable from Thursday to Sunday.
In our Lent groups this year I invite you to spend some time with Stanley Spencer’s series of Wilderness paintings. There are eight completed works, though Spencer prepared sketches of 40, one for each day of Lent. Spencer started this series ( 1939) at a time of great turbulence in his own life, not only had he separated from his beloved wife, Hilda but he had become entangled in a loveless relationship with another woman. Professionally he was out of favour as a result of a series of erotic paintings that were not well received. He was forced to move away from his home in Cookham to a small flat in London cut off from friends and family. The looming war brought back to him the traumas of his own experience in the first world war in which he had served both as a medical orderly and a rifleman in the Berkshire regiment. The painting is set against the barren landscape of Salonika where he fought, recalling the wilderness in Judea where Jesus was tried and tested in preparation for his mission. ‘Driven by the Spirit’ The first in the series ‘Driven by the Spirit’ takes us to the moment captured by Matthew and Mark in their gospel accounts. Mark uses strong language here, whereas Matthew says Jesus is led by the Spirit Mark tells us he is ‘Driven’. Maybe Spencer thought that the word driven reflected better his own experience as an outcast, but it is more than the storms of life that drive Jesus in this painting. Jesus is pictured clutching at the branches for support but there is no wind in the trees instead his feet are planted firmly on the ground and his eyes are fixed at the far distance looking at his destination. He has set out on this journey into the desert with the knowledge of his Father’s love, but knowing that he was to be tried and tested, he is resolute in facing the future. In the silence of the wilderness, he will listen to his Father’s voice guiding him in his mission. This is no pale, pious nor divine figure, but a bulky, bearded man grounded in life’s experiences in a divine way. He has come to show humanity how to live in the midst of testing and trials in a life-giving way. Matthew 4:1 - 11 In our reading today Matthew gives us a glimpse of Jesus under pressure. We are reminded that he was very human, as the writer to the Hebrews tells us: ‘We do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weakness, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet was without sin’ Hebrews 4: 15. In fact, the writer goes further and tells us that it was through testing that Jesus learned obedience and became perfect. ‘Although he was a Son he learned obedience from what he suffered and once made perfect he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.’ Hebrew 5: 8/9. How encouraging for us as we face the daily trials and temptations of life. The passage we read today was only a foretaste of what Jesus was to go through in his life but it proved one thing, he was confident of the love of his father God that would sustain him through the turbulent years of his ministry. “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” Matthew 3: 17. This was the relationship that was the bedrock of his life, through all the ups and downs and even in the last dying moments of his life he knew he could rely on God’s love for him. The relationship was tested and tried to the limit but God never failed him or forsook him. Whether like Jesus we are tested to doubt God’s love in times of hardship, danger, or prosperity God’s love remains constant, a reminder that even when we fail, he will not fail us. We may sink or shine under pressure, but in all the ups and downs of life, we know that ‘Underneath are the everlasting arms of God. Through trials and tests, we will have the chance to grow in grace and strength. Like Stanley Spencer, we can turn our trials into works of art. Rev. Simon Brignall Rory Young passed away peacefully last Thursday morning. He lived his life to the last full of the energy and enthusiasm that inspired his work as an artist and friend to many. May he rest in peace and rise in glory. We continue in prayer for Ray and give thanks for the recovery of Tim and Ceri. Prayer for Ukraine God of peace and justice we pray for the people of Ukraine today, and the laying down of weapons. we pray for all those who fear for tomorrow, that your spirit of comfort would draw near to them. We pray for those with power over war and peace, for wisdom, discernment, and compassion to guide their decisions Above all, we pray for all your precious children at risk and in fear, That you would hold and protect them. We pray in the name of Jesus, the Prince of Peace. Amen I am contactable from Thursday to Sunday.
‘You are what you eat’ has become a popular catchphrase as we become increasingly worried about obesity in the western world. Fast food and fast lives have become part of our culture as we attempt to keep up with the demands of our busy lifestyles. In response, a whole new movement has emerged. ‘Slow food’. The focus is not so much on the food as on the pleasure of eating. One of the chief pleasures is, of course, the company. We eat, as Jesus ate to enjoy the company of others, and we need time to do this. Modern wisdom and ancient wisdom agree here that food has always had an important social function. In the Middle East, the sharing of food is part of a culture of hospitality and human dignity. This is the thought behind Jesus' words: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you eat or drink, or about your body, what you wear”. Matt 6:25. Pieter Bruegel painting the Peasant Wedding, 1567, celebrates not just the social function of food but brings dignity to the ordinary lives of everyday people and the simple food they eat. The food and drink are made from the produce they harvest. The Beer is made from Barley and the broth from Oats but here it is transformed into a sacramental meal in celebration of a wedding. We can see the Bride, centre stage in front of a green drape. She is not eating or talking but sitting modestly under her bridal crown, waiting for the bridegroom to arrive at nightfall. This was the custom in Flanders at the time, and as we can see through the doorway there is still sunlight coming through the door, so she waits patiently. This is a community event with all strata of society present. To the far right is the Landowner, dressed in a rich black velvet outfit, talking to a Franciscan friar who will be present to bless the marriage. To his left is the Notary, sitting on a high-backed chair who will witness the wedding. All around them are the peasant labourers who have produced this simple feast enjoying a rare moment of joy in their hard lives. The Peasant wedding recalls the many meals that Jesus enjoyed together with the rich and poor. It is probable that Bruegal has in mind the Wedding in Cana and the transformation of water into wine, every day turned into an occasion for celebration, and poverty turned into riches. Eating, drinking, and clothing have important social functions that set us apart from animals. We are made for more than just eating, drinking, and keeping warm! The command not to worry about these things calls us to consider the purpose of human life which eating drinking and clothing serve. They are symbols of the dignity of human life and serve to enrich our social relationships. These areas of our life should occupy our thoughts because they determine what we are rather than the food we eat or the clothes we wear. Jesus in fact attaches the highest importance to eating drinking and clothing for they point us to the purpose of life itself. Eating, drinking, and clothing are all used by Jesus as symbols of the Kingdom of God. ‘But seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well’ Matt 6: 34. The purpose for which we eat is then to nourish our inner life not just our bodies. The apostle Paul puts it like this: ‘So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God’ 1 Cor. 10: 31. As we eat and drink the bread and wine today we remember the purpose for which we were made and the communion which we share with each other and with God through this holy meal. The secret of a worry-free life is to focus on those things that are of lasting value, like friendship and generousity. The things that truly make us what we are. ‘Is not life more important than food and the body more important than clothes?’ Matt 6: 25. Rev. Simon Brignall We hold in our prayers those who are experiencing ill health, those awaiting operations, or recovering at home. Prayer for Ukraine God of peace and justice we pray for the people of Ukraine today, and the laying down of weapons. we pray for all those who fear for tomorrow, that your spirit of comfort would draw near to them. We pray for those with power over war and peace, for wisdom, discernment, and compassion to guide their decisions Above all, we pray for all your precious children at risk and in fear, That you would hold and protect them. We pray in the name of Jesus, the Prince of Peace. Amen I am contactable from Thursday to Sunday.
Awake, awake: fling off the night! For God has sent his glorious light. How did you feel as you woke up this morning? Was the sun shining through the window opening your eyes to the frost glinting on the trees, or was there a heavy mist that hid the sun and turned everything into ghostly shapes? No doubt that the light would have affected your mood. When the days are dark and the nights are long our mood becomes darker too. Some people are so affected by this loss of light that they become depressed, suffering from what is now called, Seasonally Affective Disorder (SAD). Our emotions are not the only element of our lives governed by light. Our sense of distance, and our conception of shapes and sizes, owe more to the light that falls on objects than the objects themselves. As described by the contemporary American artist JamesTurrrell: “Light is not so much something that reveals, as is itself the revelation” The masters of light were, of course, the Impressionists, and one artist above all the others studied the way light changes the way we see and feel. Claude Monet captured the subtleties of colour and light in his series of paintings of Rouen Cathedral, completed between 1892 – 1893. If we compare the painting of Rouen Cathedral in bright afternoon sunlight with one painted in the early morning mist, the sharp outlines of the cathedral dissolve into a soft gradient of blues giving the building a completely different character. The words used by Jesus ‘Salt and light’ point us to an understanding of faith that mirrors the experience of artists. The author and poet C.S Lewis describes his faith in this way: “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen, not because I see it, but because by it I see everything else” To live by faith is to see the world in a different light, in the light of a loving God who in his love comes among us to show us how to live. The salt Jesus refers to was not our table salt but a rich mixture used as fertiliser to nourish the soil. It was probably a form of Nitrate- ‘Salitre’. It was dug up around the Dead Sea and then spread onto the land where it released its mineral wealth. It was no good keeping it in a heap somewhere because then all that goodness would leach away, instead, it must be spread out where it can do the most good. The picture is an excellent one to describe a life of faith today. It is not just a part of the culture that shapes us and makes us the people we are but also holds the vision and the values of that culture. When Jesus uses the image of light he speaks of something not hidden away in the soil but set apart on a hill, shining out brightly as a beacon to the rest of the world. This speaks to us of the challenge that the Christian faith brings to every generation not just to work for a better world but to challenge the culture of the world we live in. As light by its nature brings life so it also exposes darkness. Faith not only holds the values and vision of a healthy society it is also a ‘counter-cultural’ message! The words of Jesus challenge us to see the world in a different light and by our lives to bring a distinctive vision of the ‘good life’. To live in such a way makes a difference in the world around us. Jesus reminds us that we face in two directions and are citizens of two kingdoms, the earthly and the heavenly, sharing in the life of the world and the life of heaven. If the church is to continue to serve the world we must make sure our lives are lived in the light of Christ’s revelation of faith, hope, and love. As the hymn expresses it: “ Awake and rise, with love renewed, And with the Spirit’s power endued. The light of life in us must glow, And fruits of truth and goodness show” Rev. Simon Brignall We continue to pray for those recovering from an operation or waiting for an operation. Prayer for Ukraine God of peace and justice we pray for the people of Ukraine today, and the laying down of weapons. we pray for all those who fear for tomorrow, that your spirit of comfort would draw near to them. We pray for those with power over war and peace, for wisdom, discernment, and compassion to guide their decisions Above all, we pray for all your precious children at risk and in fear, That you would hold and protect them. We pray in the name of Jesus, the Prince of Peace. Amen I am contactable from Thursday to Sunday.
