Weekly Thoughts

The recent heatwaves have brought home an important truth: people have bodies. We are not just bundles of clothes with heads, hands and feet stuck on we have arms and legs and shoulders and backs and tummies and chests. What this reminds us is that we are composite beings: a body/mind complex. And bodies are important – when our life comes to an end it will most probably be because some part of our bodies misbehaves. So it is important that we take care of our bodies and attend to their needs. Furthermore human bodily existence is sacred: Jesus, true God and true Man had a body just like ours.

Being a mind/body complex goes as well for worship, what goes on in church, as it does to other parts of our lives. In practical terms that means that worship is concerned with what we do with our bodies and much as our minds. Worship is not just a cerebral activity it involves the whole person. There are two aspects to this: the first is the need for meaningful and well-ordered ceremonial. We may marvel at the precision drill shown by soldiers at the Trooping of the Colour, no one expects our servers to attain to that standard. Every move a server makes should be part of a ritual with purpose and meaning. The same goes for the ceremonial used by the president  which should convey both the meaning of what he or she is doing and carry forward the action of the service.

The same goes for rest of us: we have legs so we can genuflect (knees permitting) we have arms so we can make the sign of the cross, we have hands which we can join in prayer or raise in praise, we can stand up, sit down, kneel down and walk about. We can do all these things as acts of worship, to the glory of God and it is important that we do. Worship involves the whole person mind and body alike, it doesn’t just involve sitting in a chair and listening to someone preaching, or praying, or whatever. Worship is a corporate activity; we are all involved and can show that involvement by appropriate actions. Such actions make clear our participation in what is going on and build group identity.  Bodies are as important for worship as minds.

READINGS AND PRAYERS

27 JULY - SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY – Luke 11.1-13 – the Lord’s Prayer – Lord, teach us to pray

28 JULY – Monday – Matthew 13.31-35 – Jesu told the crowds all these things in parables – ministers of the Word

29 JULY – Mary, Martha and Lazarus, companions of our Lord Hebrews 2.10-15 – Jesus is not ashamed to call us brothers and sisters – our community at St John’s

30 JULY – William Wilberforce (1833), Olaudah Equiano (1797), Thomas Clarkson (1846), Social Reformers – Galatians 3.26-end; 4.6,7 – no longer a slave but a child – those who are slaves today

31 JULY – Ignatius of Loyola, Founder of the Society of Jesus, 1556 – Luke 14.25-33 – carry your cross if you want to be my disciple – spiritual directors

1 AUGUST – Friday – Leviticus 23. 1-11 – the institution of Jewish festivals – the governments (Jewish and Palestinian) in Israel 

2 AUGUST – Saturday – Matthew 14.1-12 – the martyrdom of St John the Baptizer – those who suffer for the Faith today