MAKING CHRIST COMFORTABLE

Mary the Theotokos gave her body to host the Son of God

She gave her body for God's shrine,

Her heart to piercing pain,

And knew the cost of love divine

When Jesus Christ was slain.

REFUGEE - by Malcolm Guite

We think of him as safe beneath the steeple,

Or cosy in a crib beside the font,

But he is with a million displaced people

On the long road of weariness and want.

For even as we sing our final carol

His family is up and on that road,

Fleeing the wrath of someone else’s quarrel,

Glancing behind and shouldering their load.

Whilst Herod rages still from his dark tower

Christ clings to Mary, fingers tightly curled,

The lambs are slaughtered by the men of power,

And death squads spread their curse across the world.

But every Herod dies, and comes alone

To stand before the Lamb upon the throne.

THE GUEST

Jesus himself was a guest at a wedding in Cana

We've heard it all before.

He turned water into wine

(It's our proof text against puritans)

Vintage stuff.

Jesus was a guest ... of humanity

The heavenly host who laid on a harvest of abundance

for the world

The Creator, my provider, became the guest

Of the animals in the stable,

The villagers in Nazareth,

The religious leaders in the temple,

The prostitutes, drunkards, tax-collectors.

He let us play host, did away with the VIP pass

Ate, drank and was probably merry

Became one of us,

Dined at our table,

Ate the same bread, drank the same wine -

Everybody having a good time,

Shared stories, shared our story.

When he left the table he left bread and wine,

He left himself,

The guest

Once more

Became the consummate Host.

Steve Collins, grace @ st.marys ealing:

alpha for the lost in space

MAKING CHRIST COMFORTABLE

Lord Jesus,

You knelt to wash the feet of Your friends,

showing us that greatness is found in humble service.

Open my eyes to see You in every person I meet—

in the weary, the joyful, the forgotten, and the broken.

Give me hands ready to help,

a heart willing to listen,

and a spirit eager to love without counting the cost.

When I serve, let it be without pride;

when I give, let it be without expecting return.

May my words bring comfort,

my actions reflect Your compassion,

and my life bear witness to Your endless mercy.

In serving others, may I always serve You.

SERVICE

She was cooking meals and setting tables

with God leaning heavily on her heart.

“Follow me,” said God, “Come, follow me.”

“Oh Holy One,” she answered, “I am yours.

Tell me how I may follow you.”

And God said, “Cook meals and set tables.”

“What do you mean?” she said.  “I’ve been

doing just that for almost nine years.

I’m talking about a real vocation.”

And God said, “For nine years

your hands have been at work

but your head has been in other places.

Be present to cooking and serving meals

and see what happens.”

With disappointment and a little doubt,

the woman tried to be present to her work,

and gradually, there was a change.

She began to notice the beauty of food,

every vegetable a miracle of design and flavour.

She saw the progression of life in the food chain,

how plant and animal changed form

yet remained a part of the Oneness.

Setting a table became a sacred task,

the preparation of an altar, cloth and flowers,

fine dishes for the food, and places for guests.

Eventually, she saw cooking and setting tables

not as a chore but a vital act of prayer

which had changed herself, her meals

and the people who sat at her tables.

She prayed in gratitude, “Oh Holy One,

“I don’t know how to say this,

but it seems that every meal is Eucharist.”

And God said, “Good.  You’re catching on.”

Joy Cowley