The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Messiah. John answered them all “I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire”.   Luke 3 : 15 - 16

Reading for this week : Luke 3 : 7 - 18

Thought for the week

As we continue our journey through Advent, amidst the pre – Christmas rush, we have the gift of God’s Word to us in the Bible, to nourish us, sustain us, challenge us and guide us back to Jesus, who is always the Way, the Truth and the Life.

This week we focus on the ministry of John, the forerunner and preparer for Jesus. John was known as the Baptiser, yet he could also be known as ‘the dismantler’, because this is what he did. He came to dismantle the Jewish people’s pre – conceptions and assumptions built up over time. Those beliefs and ways of living that had become so much a part of who they were and how they saw themselves, and particularly how much they had taken for granted in the sheer, undeserved grace of the Lord.

It is good for us to do the same. To return again to the sheer wonder and outrageous generosity of the Lord in sending Jesus. To hear His word to us, and rely on God’s Word, His love and forgiveness, to sustain us as completely as asking for our daily bread.

And to allow the Holy Spirit to dismantle our thoughts and lives, so we may live, share and be filled with the wonder and Light of Jesus, the Good News.

Rev Paul

Prayer for this week

God of Salvation,
Wake us up Lord!
The night is nearly over.
Let us make our Advent journey.
Move us from our lives
Of greed and selfishness,
From our globalised world
Of inequality and exploitation,
To your kingdom
Of righteousness and mercy.
To a transformed world,
Where peace is built on understanding not weapons,
The poor are empowered to live their lives to the full,
Businesses are built on need not greed
And your Creation is nurtured not abused.
Wake us up Lord! Let us live as people of the light. Amen.

Sue Cooper/CAFOD