Bishop Helen Ann's letters

Notes from the office of the Bishop of Ripon

24 December – 6 January

Growing God’s Kingdom in the Ripon Episcopal Area

Remember to check out the Diocese of Leeds’ website for news, events and resources www.leeds.anglican.org.   

Bishop Helen-Ann is also on twitter @h_ahartley and Instagram @bishophelenann; Bishop Helen-Ann blogs occasionally at bishophelenann@wordpress.com.  The Diocesan Twitter feed may be found at @LeedsCofE; The Diocesan Bishop of Leeds, Bishop Nick is @nickbaines (Twitter), and his blog is nickbaines.wordpress.com.

Please remember the Diocesan Prayer Cycle which may be found at http://www.leeds.anglican.org/content/prayer-diary it includes the Anglican Communion Cycle of Prayer, as well as praying for the people, parishes and places of the Diocese of Leeds.

Wishing you all a very Happy Christmas and all prayers and best wishes for 2019! 

Bishop Helen-Ann’s Diary (24 December – 6 January)

Sunday Gospel thoughts

Sunday December 30^th , 1^st after Christmas (Luke 2.41-end)

Christmas has happened, and already we are with Jesus, aged 12!  The translator Nick King says of this passage, ‘Luke ends his account of Jesus’ early years with a characteristically dramatic vignette.’  It’s important to note that Luke describes Jesus’ parents as observant Jews going to the Temple on a pilgrimage, but then, horror of horrors, they lose Jesus!  Nick King further notes that it is helpful to view this drama not simply for its own sake, but as a pointer to Jesus’ future: Jesus cannot be ‘pinned down,’ and from this early stage he is redefining his parentage, ‘my Father’, with a hint of the division to come.  Worth noting also is that Luke invites us to consider Jesus’ life from Mary’s perspective: she keeps all the events (literally ‘words’) in her heart.

Ponder that perspective of Mary?  How does that affect your understanding of what is happening in Jesus’ life at this point?

Broaden this out a little, and what does it feel like (do you think) from Joseph’s point of view?

Sunday January 6, Epiphany (Matthew 2.1-12)

‘None of us know for sure what’s out there, that’s why we keep looking.’  Words not of the Magi, but of Dr Who!  They sum up quite nicely (I think) the importance of the journey that is a key part of this narrative in Matthew’s Gospel.  Like the extensive family tree that Matthew gives us at the start of his Gospel, this story of the wise travellers (and nowhere is it said that there are 3!) stresses the importance of the ‘outsiders’ (perhaps even ‘the foreigners’) as those who show more commitment and loyalty than the ‘insiders’ (the religious establishment).  As Nick King points out, another key word in this passage is ‘worship,’ and the gifts of course point to something of Jesus’ identity and his future.

Reflect on your own journey of faith; can you think of times when you were certain about your direction, and times when you weren’t so sure?  What kept you going?

How important is worship to you, and what do you think it means?

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