I have  a special affection for Mary Magdalene who is remembered in the church calendar today. Needless to say  it has nothing to do with her (erroneous) reputation as some sort of rescued “fallen woman” ! but rather stems from her encounter with Jesus on the morning of the Ressurection as told in John chapter 20.

It is when Jesus uses her name, that Mary recognises him, and is able to do what he asks, to go and tell the others  that He is Risen. He speaks to her, not in general terms, not as an anonymous representative, but as a person, he calls her by name.

It’s that name thing again -

Here’s the deal with names  for me! forgive me if I’ve said it all before!

When I was little I used to be very proud of the fact that my name means “messenger of God”.. goodness knows what my parents were thinking…

Fast forward to 1994 and i’m watching the very first ordination of women priests from Bristol Cathedral. The very first to be ordained was Angela Berners-Wilson. As the bishop prayed over her “Send your Holy Spirit upon your servant Angela” that was when I felt God saying to me  ”- and  this is for you too…” A friend gave me  a copy of a newspaper the next day with those words as the headline!

One of the verses that became very important to me while I was going theorugh the whole selection process was from Isaiah 43

Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name; you are mine.

It wasn’t until after my recomendation for training that I made the connection between the circumstances of that original sense of vocation, the meaning of my name and that verse that had become so important to me!

When I arrived in Salisbury for the first weekend at college, I discovered that the newly installed font had those words from Isaiah inscribed around the edge.

..and to bring the story full circle, on Monday I was in Bristol Cathedral, where that first ordination had been held, at  a Eucharist celebrating Mary Magdalene ( albeit a couple of days early!) and not only was the gospel naturally enough that account from John, but  the verses from Isaiah were used in the closing worship too. God does like to make a point sometimes!

If you’re as saddened as I am by the fact that as a country we’ve just elected two BNP MEPs then please consider signing this petition at Hope not Hate.

HOPE not hate
Celebrating modern Britain

The recent political shenanigans rather simplistically remind me of two children squabbling over a toy,and while they do, a third child walks over and picks it up unchallenged. This result is a challenge to the mainstream parties to buck their ideas up a bit and start working for the whole of Britain rather than just their political careers. Protest votes can be dangerous.

Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!

One of my favourite Donne poems, and an appropriate one approaching Easter.

Holy Sonnet X

Death, be not proud, though some have called thee 
Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so ; 
For those, whom thou think’st thou dost overthrow, 
Die not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me. 
From rest and sleep, which but thy picture[s] be, 
Much pleasure, then from thee much more must flow, 
And soonest our best men with thee do go, 
Rest of their bones, and soul’s delivery. 
Thou’rt slave to Fate, chance, kings, and desperate men, 
And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell, 
And poppy, or charms can make us sleep as well, 
And better than thy stroke ;  why swell’st thou then ? 
One short sleep past, we wake eternally, 
And Death shall be no more ;  Death, thou shalt die. 

John Donne

Mary’s yes was a yes into the unknown; a yes of faith, a yes of trust.

Did she even begin to imagine the eternal “yes” that was made possible by her small faithful one?

Will I say yes too? A yes to being in Jesus and he in me, a yes in faith to what is asked of me, a yes that will bring God into places where he is not yet, a yes of which I cannot know its eternal significance. Let it be so.

 I read a lot of blogs written by a lot of very different people, blogging about their faith, their take on theology, the world, life,  liturgy and everything inbetween. I find it fascinating and enlightening to be able to observe and take part in all sorts of discussions, some of which kick start my own thinking, or clarify something I’ve been reading or dwelling on already. 

I’m in the process of  updating my blogroll  with a new category “figuring it out” with some of the blogs  I read, think about and occasionally join in. Some of them  have it a load more figured out than I do, some of them I agree with more often and on more points than others, but all of them help me in the figuring it out process (even when it’s to think “well I don’t agree with that“!) Lots of these guys (that’s an inclusive use of  ’guys’ by the way!) tweet too, it’s amazing how much theology & life you can get into 140 characters

 I was fascinated, entertained and enlightened by the amount of electronic social networking emerging from General Synod  the other week – and yes it’s taken me this long to get around to talking about it -

It seemed there was blogging  live from the press gallery (Ruth Gledhill and Dave Walker). Twittering all over the show and much blog activity* from those in the Synod and those following it closely. Peter Ould  is currently blogging some responses  from those who voted no in the Uniqueness of Christ debate, and wrote a far better piece on the twitter’n'blog phenomenon than I am managing!

* I have to apologise to all those who blogged about or from Synod and  to whom I haven’t linked – I could go on…!

It brought it home to me how much the church seems embracing the abilityto communicate with people in all sorts of new ways, this Lent you will be able to recieve daily messages from @C_of_E on Twitter or perhaps @blessedaltw will help you  in your Lenten meditations. I believe the Pope is sending text messages to Austrian Catholics this year. The Live Life Love Lent campaign is on Facebook for the second year running. 

I’m liking it – I think it brings challenges, and requires thought, but  if it’s aiding communication within and about churchand faith, then it’s looking good to me.

I was listening to this tonight while I was working – fantastic