Seventh Sunday after Easter Day – 28th May 2017

An old rabbi once asked his pupils how they could tell when the night had ended and the day had begun. “Could it be,” asked one student, “when you can see an animal in the distance and tell whether it’s a sheep or a dog?” “No,” answered the rabbi. Another asked, “Is it when you can look at a tree in the distance and tell whether it’s a fig tree or a peach tree?” “No,” answered the rabbi. “Then when is it?” the pupils demanded. “It is when you can look on the face of any person and see that it is your sister and brother. Because if you cannot see this, it is still night.”

The organising team for the Mega Car Boot Sale and Mini Market Day has asked me to pass on their “thanks to all Parishioners for being so ready to help at such short notice and who all worked together to make last Saturday a success. When we are stretched to the limit the smallest contribution or word of encouragement is uplifting.”

I would like to add a special thank you to the organisers … 5 people who did the planning and organising – Chris, Isobelle, Rob, Mark and Ailsa. I know that many others worked hard preparing cakes; jams, craft etc., but these five, in the midst of already busy lives pulled the event together. By their own admission, there were mistakes made/ things that might have been done differently – but we are always able to build on the lessons we have learned. It was good to see people working, laughing and learning together because when we do so we are “the Body of Christ” at its best, witnessing to the wider community. I was saddened to discover that the support for the organising committee was not 100% and I am disappointed to hear of very negative feedback from some who have chosen not to be a part of the planning. It seems it is easier to criticise the efforts of others, after the event, than to be part of the planning. After all, in the light of recent horrendous events in the world – resulting in the desire of peoples of myriad faith traditions to work together for peace – the success or failure of our Car Boot Sale was of relatively little importance.

However our living and working together, in unity, is a major concern of Jesus in the gospel for today. Jesus prays for those he was leaving behind and those who would come after “All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them. 11 And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one.” “So that they may be one, as we are one” – this then, is how we glorify the Christ.