Vicar’s April letter

Dear friends,

As you probably know I am a bit of a film fan. When we get chance Sian and I like to watch a movie together. Our tastes are slightly different and so we sometimes have a lengthy discussion before we start watching. We also differ as to how much we want to know about a film before we watch it. I am generally happy to watch a film with no information whatsoever. Sian, however, wants to know who is in it, what it’s about and, given the chance, how it all works out! If we are watching a film that she knows I have seen before, she will keep asking me what happens. Believing that to really get the most out of a film you have to experience things as they happen without knowing the outcome, my response to such questions is usually “Watch the film!” If the film is a thriller and Sian is worried about one of the characters, then she often won’t give up until I assure her that all will be well (or not, as the case may be). I still think that she misses out on much of the experience that the film has to offer.

I feel a bit the same about Easter. Because we know how the story works out, we don’t engage with the experiences that the disciples had or really think about what Jesus went through. Perhaps this year we could all make an effort to engage with the passion narrative from Palm Sunday through Holy Week. You might be reading through the Lent Book, you might be thinking about coming along to the services at St John’s on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, St Stephen’s on Maundy Thursday and / or St Ethelbert’s or St John’s on Good Friday. You might be planning to spend time on your own reading your Bible. You might simply be planning to come to the Palm Sunday service in the triangle and at St Stephen’s. (It would be great to see you at any of these services!) Whatever your plans, try to listen to the readings as though you had never heard them before. Especially try to listen to the readings as though you didn’t know what was going to happen next and didn’t know how things were going to work out.

Try to share the disciples’ reaction as Jesus’ knelt to wash their feet; their confusion as Jesus talked about a betrayer after the last supper; try to imagine Jesus’ anguish in the garden; his disappointment when he found Peter, James and John asleep after asking them to pray with him; listen to the crowds calling for Barabbas to be released and Jesus to be crucified; try to identify with Peter as his fear led him to deny Jesus three times; try to stand with the women at the cross; stand with Joseph of Arimathea as he asks for Jesus body.

Then, on Easter Sunday morning, let’s visit the tomb with the women, or with Peter and John; let’s walk with Jesus on the road to Emmaus; let’s meet with Jesus in the locked room in the evening.

Let’s share the confusion, the despair, the pain, the loss, the fear and the glory and the celebration.

Let’s Experience Easter!

God Bless,