2022 has begun, with all its potential for joy and for sorrow. What lies ahead I wonder? Will Covid define us, as it continues to exert its baleful influence and disrupt our plans? Or will the joy of faith-filled lives trump the gloom? Rejoice in the Lord always, begins our key passage from Philippians. Amen!
New Year resolutions – have you made any? They are rooted in a godly desire to improve our lives. They say 60 per cent of us make them, but only 8 per cent stick with them! I’m part of the 92 per cent, who try, but usually give up. Sometimes something sticks.
Two years ago, following a diocesan initiative to encourage more prayer, I resolved to get the Lectio 365 app. It has helped me ever since. I’m guided to sit, read, reflect and prepare for my day’s activities. It’s a form of Lectio Divina, similar to Dwelling in the Word, used in Bath and Wells, which encourages us to mull over God’s word, in our own personal time, and in the company of others, allowing God to speak to us.
Lectio 365 ends in this prayer: Father help me to live this day to the full, being true to you in every way. Jesus, help me to give myself away to others, being kind to all I meet. Spirit, help me to love the lost, proclaiming Christ in all I do, and say.
Our pioneers reach out to those around them, building relationships and using ever more creative ways, to point people to God. Cocktail bars, art work, pizza evenings, outdoor activities, pilgrim walkways… the list is gloriously endless! The Lectio prayer reminds us that everyone is a channel for God’s grace, a signpost to God. By encouraging others to grow in spiritual awareness, we can all be pioneers in our own situation.
Bishop Rob
Hon Assistant Bishop, Bath and Wells
