Fr Keith writes: Dear People of St Gabriel's

How amazing it was to have snow over the Easter weekend. I was cross that I did not take a photograph of the church as a record of the event. It crossed my mind to have a rousing chorus of “I’m dreaming of a white Easter” but though it too cheesy – and so you were spared.

The snow had an amazing effect on the landscape which for me was slightly unnerving. The day of Good Friday one associates a dark cloud hanging over the earth and all bring grim and dim – even in Bach’s St Matthew’s Passion there is a chorus of “Lightning and thunder” to confound those who put the Christ to death. Well we did have torrential rain and even some flashes and crashes from the heavens. The battle of Jesus with death was taken right into the creation itself, such was the importance of the event.

Holy Saturday was crazy weather, with sunshine, rain, wind and whatever. Those who worked so tirelessly in the church to beautify the building certainly were grateful to the shelter of the church building and the heating system from saving us all from hypothermia.

The transformation of the church grounds and of the church itself on Easter Sunday was amazing. The grounds took to themselves a glistening mantle of dazzlingly snow. It was as if a new creation had been given to the plants and grass. It looked pure and bright – you could see that it was the church and grounds- yet it was different.

Inside the church too there had been a transformation. The dull and dead looking church on Good Friday (when all ornamentation had been removed) had been transformed into a dazzling spectacle of flowers, candles, light, green, white and gold. The brass shone, the silver gleamed and above all towered the newly kindled Easter Candle – the symbol of the Risen Christ.

What indeed had happened both outside the church and its decoration inside was very much a visual aid to a deeper meaning of Easter. For the victory that Jesus had won over death and also by being raised to new life had brought about a new creation. In one account of the resurrection with Mary of Magdalene, she fails to recognised her risen Lord because his appearance was familiar but somewhat different. Like the snow on the church grounds, the action of being resurrected had transformed Jesus into revealing more of his divinity than was shown before.

The same applies to us, for we who believe in the resurrection are transfigured and changed by that Easter experience. Because we believe in the Lord being raised from the dead, we too share in his resurrection and in all that means. By our baptism we have passed from death to life and from sorrow to joy. As with the two disciples on the road to Emmaus we cannot keep in the reality of what all that means. We have to get back onto the road and take the message that Jesus is alive and that we recognise him most in the breaking of the bread. 

Be therefore encouraged that God is working through us as he did for those early disciples, and let us be serious about our faith and discipleship. For we are an Easter people – a people who have great hope and tremendous joy – and a belief that we are helped and guided by our risen Lord.

May Alleluia be our song!

 

A Lamp that Shines in the Darkness

A lamp burns night and day in the St Gabriel’s Lady Chapel by the reservation of the Blessed Sacrament. A lamp also burns by the image of Our Lady of Walsingham. The lamps remind us of the constant presence of Jesus and of the prayers of the church.
Each week there is the opportunity to sponsor a lamp and to give thanks or pray for something in particular.

Sponsorship costs £5 and Mrs Despie McKay now keeps the records for this service. Please do see her if you wish to participate.