Called

It's that time of year again. I spent yet another  Sunday away; this time at Winchester Cathedral for a friend's ordination. It was a wonderful experience for everybody;  of all the ordinations I've attended, yesterday's was the first  where I've known one of the ordinands personally and been privileged to share just a small part of their journey over the whole long process leading to this moment.

Daydreamer's reflections on the price paid not only by the clergy themselves but also by their families in order to follow their calling largely echoes mine. It was wonderful to be there yesterday  and to witness the joy and excitement of the ordinands as they set out on the next stage of their pilgrimage. Such an emotional occasion; we were seated only a few rows from the front with a grandstand view and, as the service wore on,  to see the expression on their faces change from tense to (in some cases) tearful to smiling and joyous was wonderful to behold.

If the supporting, more seasoned clergy seated behind them felt the same way, I guess they weren't gving much away upfront; those that I could see looked suitable serious As Befits The Solemnity of The Occasion.  This is the C of E, after all! Maybe the emotions were  bubbling away inside, but my fleeting thought (and prayer ) at the contrast between the two groups was 'Please God, don't let those starting out today become ground down, jaded and cynical by the (inevitable) demands and expectations of the job. May they somewhere always retain the spontaneity and joy of that first calling.'

You Shall Live - Ezekiel 37

The hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley; it was full of bones.  And he led me round among them; and behold, there were very many upon the valley; and lo, they were very dry. And he said to me, "Son of man, can these bones live?" And I answered, "O Lord GOD, thou knowest." Again he said to me, "Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live.  And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am the LORD."  So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold, a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to its bone.  And as I looked, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them; but there was no breath in them. Then he said to me, "Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord GOD: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live."  So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great host.  Then he said to me, "Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, 'Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are clean cut off.'  Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I will open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you home into the land of Israel.  And you shall know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people.  And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land; then you shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken, and I have done it, says the LORD."

        - Ezekiel 37 (RSV)

Pentecost

Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say.  These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

 “‘In the last days, God says,
    I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
    your young men will see visions,
    your old men will dream dreams.
 Even on my servants, both men and women,
    I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
    and they will prophesy.
I will show wonders in the heavens above
    and signs on the earth below,
    blood and fire and billows of smoke.
 The sun will be turned to darkness
    and the moon to blood
    before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
 And everyone who calls
    on the name of the Lord will be saved.

   

      Acts 2 (NIV)