Rev'd Karen - April 2022

The Vicar’s Light Reflections

Light Reflections… “Let your light shine…” (Matthew 5.16)

As I write, we have been very blessed with a spell of warm, dry, sunny weather, very Spring like; but probably by the time you read this, this will have changed! However, what it will be, is that it will almost be Easter, as we have journeyed through Lent, a time of prayer, fasting and giving. Our prayers have very much been with Ukraine as we continue to watch the horror unfold and our giving has focused on helping Ukrainian refugees; as we have been studying the Generosity, Gift and Grace course. However, my thoughts are turning now towards Palm Sunday, Holy Week and finally Easter; the time of Hosanna’s as Jesus enters triumphant into Jerusalem, then just a week later faces betrayal, torture, and death. Thankfully, as post Easter people, we know that resurrection follows, and this will culminate on Easter Sunday as we celebrate at services across the Benefice our risen Lord.

I place here two images of sculptures that I have seen ‘in the flesh’ for you to reflect on. The first is Pieta by Harold Gosney, which is in Ripon cathedral. A very moving piece showing Mother Mary holding the broken body of her son Jesus in her arms; a far cry away from the Nativity scenes of Mary holding her baby. And another amazing work of artof the resurrected Jesus greeting Mary his Mother on that first Easter morning, this can be found at St Beuno’s Retreat Centre, by Fr Rory Geoghegan SJ. My heart is in turn filled with pain and loss and joy and amazement as I contemplate these moving, compassionate images of the God-Bearer and the God-Man, but also that of a Mother and her Son. It is at these difficult times when we witness Mothers separated from their children and whose sons and husbands have been sent to fight that our hearts feel their pain. My prayer is that through the pain that Jesus and Mary suffered, that all those who grieve will be brought joy and peace, knowing that with the resurrection “...death has lost its sting” (1 Corinthians 15.55), and the “...gates of hell will not prevail”. (Matthew 16:18). Amen.