By Revd Lucy Austin

Last week Heather wrote of hope. Hope which draws its power from a deep trust in God.

Tomorrow, May 8th is a day for celebrating hope for the future.

On May 8th the Church particularly remembers Julian of Norwich.

We give thanks to God for her life, and her optimism. “All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well”, she wrote. Mother Julian was an anchorite in the Middle Ages and lived through the Black Plague. She wrote the earliest surviving book in the English language written by a woman, Revelations of Divine Love. Her writings and beliefs are superbly optimistic! 600 years on, they speak to our times.

Pope Benedict XVI in his General Audience in December 2010 explained: “ It is known that God, even in periods of tribulation, does not cease to inspire figures such as Julian of Norwich, to recall people to peace, love and joy. Inspired by divine love, Julian made a radical decision. Like an ancient anchoress, she decided to live in a cell located near the church called after St Julian, in the city of Norwich. I recall with admiration and gratitude the women and men who have lived cloistered lives, and the monasteries themselves. Today more than ever they are oases of peace and hope, a precious treasure for the whole Church, especially since they recall the primacy of God and the importance, for the journey of faith, of constant and intense prayer.”

Tomorrow too, we remember VE Day which marked the end of World War Two in Europe. Huge crowds took to the streets on 8 May 1945 to sing, dance and rejoice after nearly six years of war.

It was a glorious celebration of optimism for the future.

Last Monday World War Two veterans watched the celebration procession from the end of the Mall at the Queen Victoria Memorial, alongside three generations of the Royal Family at the military parade in London. The procession was followed by a flypast of current and historic military aircraft. Led by one of aged Lancaster bombers as well as some of the most advanced combat aircraft, it also featured the Royal Air Force’s Red Arrows, famous for their red, white and blue smoke trails in the sky. We, like many others, watched the display on TV. Then we heard them flying home over Stokenchurch, but they were obscured by the clouds.

John, the writer of the Revelation, was in solitary confinement when he received and wrote his vision. He had every reason to give up, but instead, he called his companions in Christ to cling to hope. He reminded them of the meaning and power of Christ’s resurrection and encouraged them to keep working to make God’s Kingdom a reality in their lives. The truth of John’s vision is not just for the first century. Nor is it for some unknown future time. It is a vision of hope for all people in all times—and it speaks profoundly into our current chaos.

We need to hear John’s message again. We need to remember what the resurrection means for us right here and right now. And we need to commit once again to follow Jesus’ way of love and justice in our lives and relationships.

Living out our unquenchable optimism for today, for tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow …..

……. until Kingdom come.

with much love and many blessings
Lucy

By Revd Lucy Austin

The Sermon on the Mount – Jesus’s greatest hit, if you will – doesn’t waste a single breath telling us what to believe. Instead, it’s all about what to do and how to be.

Fast forward three centuries to the Nicene Creed, and suddenly it’s all about beliefs, with no mention of action! Talk about a plot twist.

It’s rather like going from “be good to each other” to filling out a theological questionnaire. I suspect Jesus would have preferred the former – he did seem more interested in whether we’d feed the hungry than whether we could recite complex doctrines.

Christians happily quote the Ten Commandments (mostly “don’ts”), yet often get a bit squirmy when you mention the Sermon on the Mount (mostly “dos”). Perhaps because “blessed are the peacemakers” sounds rather inconvenient when you’re trying to start an argument in Parliament.
Also “blessed are the merciful” might raise a few eyebrows in today’s rather punitive courtrooms.

Agreeable spirituality is preferable isn’t it? It keeps things nice and orderly – let’s have everyone sitting quietly in their pews, thinking lovely thoughts about heaven.

When people start taking Jesus’s actual words seriously things get a bit uncomfortable for those enjoying the status quo. Funny that, isn’t it?

This Lent, instead of just giving up chocolate (though that’s perfectly fine too), what if we embraced being what I like to call “prophetic troublemakers”?

Don’t worry – I’m not suggesting anything too dramatic.

Repentance is not about a “sackcloth and ashes” spirituality of guilt, legalism, and self-recrimination. The focus of repentance is not on what we’ve done, but on what we will choose to do and become in the future.

We all want to make a positive mark on the world. We want to live good lives that matter and that contribute to making our corner of the world a little better. And there is no better guide than Jesus’ teachings about authenticity, generosity, compassion, connection, and building a better society together. Sometimes the smallest acts of kindness can create the biggest ripples.

It might be as simple as making someone smile, sharing your last Hobnob with a colleague, or choosing to listen rather than speak when someone needs to be heard.

You see, that’s the clever bit about the Sermon on the Mount – it shows us how small, intentional actions done in secret can transform society. Rather like throwing a pebble into a pond – you never quite know how far those rings will spread. One kind word might just be the thing that helps someone keep going. One generous gesture might inspire a chain reaction of goodwill In a world that seems increasingly fond of anger and division, these small acts of love become rather revolutionary. They’re like tiny sparks of hope in what can sometimes feel like rather dark times. And the brilliant thing is, anyone can do them. You don’t need special training, fancy credentials, or even a theology degree (though if you have one, well done you!).

So here’s to being blessed troublemakers this Lent. May our small acts of kindness cause just enough good trouble to make the world a slightly better place. May we be less concerned with ticking boxes and more interested in touching hearts. And if anyone asks why you’re being so nice, you can always blame it on Jesus. He started it, after all!

Remember, as we journey through Lent, it’s not about grand gestures or perfect performance. It’s about letting love be the driving force behind our words, attitudes, and actions. And who knows?
Those little ripples of kindness might just turn into waves of transformation.

Now wouldn’t that be something worth giving up chocolate for?

Come, Almighty to deliver;
Let us all thy grace receive;
Suddenly return, and never,
Never more thy temples leave.
Thee we would be always blessing,
Serve thee as thy host above,
Pray, and praise thee without ceasing,
Glory in thy perfect love.

PS Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, the 5th of March this year.

much love and many blessings
LucyA