Why Jesus?

If Jesus came to find temporal power on earth, then he died a complete failure, suffering an ignominious death on a cross. Eleven of the twelve men he had chosen to carry on his mission ran away from him in his hour of need, the twelfth, having already betrayed him to his enemies. Only one returned to stand beneath his cross, to support his mother.

Why then, is his name revered by millions throughout the world, two thousand years later? Now there's the question. Those who follow him say it is because he is the Son of God, whose message can still bring liberation, hope, truth and love into our lives today. Otherwise, what explanation can there be for this seeming improbability. 

These followers have included the greatest minds and the simplest souls on earth throughout the history of the Church which Jesus founded on the shoulders of a small group of ordinary people. So perhaps the answer to the question is because Jesus really is who he said he was. If so, he's worth following. I certainly think so.

When death comes around the corner

Sometimes, when death comes knocking on the door of our lives, it can cause us to look around and view what is there and shouldn't be and what is not there and should be. 

Hopefully, for most of us, it can result in our taking stock of what we need to do to rectify our omissions and commissions. Let's hope that we can all manage to do so, in good time before that door is opened and we take our step through it. 

About justice and when and where we receive it

There has to be a life beyond this one! Otherwise, the deep desire to seek justice for the wrongs which are perpetrated against us and against others, which is frequently unattainable in this world, would never be realised.

Countless numbers die without ever having received that justice, There has to be comfort, consolation and redress for those sufferings beyond death.

That's what I have to believe anyway, otherwise life would be pretty unbearable.

About security and God's safety net

No matter how many security blankets we try to wrap around ourselves, life can always catch us out.

We may have security lights and cameras, insurance and assurance policies.

We may ferry our children to and from their activities, 

we may live in 'nice' areas and take every precaution  we can to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe

but the unexpected can and often does happen.

God's safety net doesn't stop bad things from happening but assures us that, no matter what trials and tribulations come our way, if we can learn to trust in God's everlasting and infinite love, that love will always see us through.

About being imperfect, yet loved

We are not 'sinners'! We are imperfect but eternally beloved children of God.

God knows and understands everything about us,

the circumstances of our lives,

our choices, both good and bad,

and loves us anyway, even when we don't love ourselves.

I believe that anyone who has children and knows what it is to love them, no matter what should understand and trust this belief.

About mercy and forgiveness and generosity of spirit

''The quality of mercy is not strained.

It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven....''

The trouble is we keep putting our umbrellas up.

What are those umbrellas; our pride, our vanity; 

our self-denial and self-deception. The list goes on.

We need to turn our faces to the gentle rain of the love and mercy of God and allow it to wash away our guilt as we put right what is wrong and turn to follow God's path.

About Cain and Abel and generosity of spirit

At church this morning, our priest spoke about Jesus's words to the Scribes and Pharisees on 'rule-keeping' and hypocrisy and how we can have a tendency to give the bare minimum. 

Cain's and Abel's gifts to God came into my mind; Cain with ''some of his produce'' and Abel with the best lamb of his flock.

Why God asks for our best must be of importance here. God does not need our best gifts but knows that our giving of them is best for us.

When we give 'second best', it is we ourselves who are short-changed. We circumcise our hearts and close our minds.

To give of our best to God, to others, to life, is to open our minds and hearts to generosity of spirit which, in return, is reflected and radiated backwards to us and is truly life-enhancing.