“Hail, Gladdening Light from his pure glory poured”

At the beginning of August (6^th August), the Church celebrates the feast of the Transfiguration. It is a hugely mysterious event recorded in the New Testament. Jesus took Peter, James and John to a mountain.  The Gospels do not say which mountain. Christian tradition has usually named Mount Tabor, although Mount Carmel and Mount Hermon have been mentioned as possibilities.

Matthew, Mark and Luke use slightly different phrases to tell the same story. In St Matthew’s account: “He was transfigured: his face shone like the sun and his clothes became as white as light.” St Mark says: “his clothes became dazzling white”, while St Luke says: “his clothing became brilliant as lightning”. All three, in their slightly different ways, agree that Jesus was enveloped in a heavenly light as he was seen with Moses and Elijah.  Peter, James and John are witnesses to this light.  Peter assumes he should do something.  He rushes to build three tents and Luke comments: “He did not know what he was saying.” James and John – the John who was to write so movingly about Jesus as the “true light” – say and do nothing. Suddenly a cloud passes over the scene and from the shadow they hear the voice of the Father saying: “This is my Son, the Beloved.”

The images of light and darkness are so common to us that we often take them for granted: “I have seen the light” or “I was kept in the dark”, and yet they remain instantaneous and powerful images.

The Church Fathers frequently meditated on the themes of light and darkness, saying, “light is the beauty of God”, or speaking of light as “a ray of the Divinity”. In John Henry Newman’s poem “The Dream of Gerontius”, the soul of Gerontius is brought before God.  For a split second Gerontius sees God as he is.  The light shows up with dazzling clarity the things of which Gerontius is ashamed.  Another poet, John Donne, wrote of the light of heaven in these words:

“Into that gate they shall enter, and in that house they shall dwell,

where there shall be no darkness or dazzling, but one equal light;

no noise nor silence, but one equal music;

no fears nor hopes, but one equal possession; no ends nor beginnings,

but one equal eternity in the habitations of thy glory and dominion”

In the Transfiguration it is this truth, the new “glory of God”, “the one equal Light”, which is revealed to us.

With my love and prayers,

Chris Hardwick

Doubting Thomas

On the 3rd of July the Church remembers St Thomas the Apostle; the older date was December 21st and still is in the Prayer Book Calendar, but our new calendar follows the reforms of the Vatican Council which were intended to give the story of Thomas more prominence by avoiding the “congested” Christmas season. The Greek churches observe the festival on the Sunday after Easter and another old date is the 6th October.

Thomas is often called “Doubting Thomas”, the man who doubted that Jesus, who had died on the Cross on Good Friday, was alive again on Easter Sunday. It was Thomas who interrupted Jesus at the Last Supper when he said: “We don’t know where you are going; so how can we know ‘the Way’?” Thomas demanded proof if he was to believe. But he wasn’t alone in finding the truth of the Resurrection difficult to accept. The women who hurried back from the empty tomb on the first Easter morning were not believed by the apostles. And Peter, who did go to the tomb, and found it empty, “went home wondering what had happened”.

I believe we can draw great encouragement from Thomas. Thomas was open and honest about his doubts. He was a disciple before and after his questions. He is remembered as a “Saint” not because his questions where contrary to his belief but because they were an honest part of it. Even though he asked the question “How can we know the way?” he continued to follow it, determined to learn more.

Honest Questions

Thomas was an open and honest human being, he was also a loyal and trustworthy follower – he didn’t deny Jesus as Peter did, he didn’t betray him as Judas did. In fact, the honest courage of Thomas opened the way for others to see that faith should not be blind or timid. He asked questions, not to stir things up but because they were on his mind and in his heart.

“Blessed are those who have not seen, and yet believe” (John 20.19)

And so, this month, we remember Thomas, the Saint who believed, and who asked questions about his faith. Whatever questions are on your mind or in your heart, God wants to hear from you.

Almighty and eternal God,

who, for the firmer foundation of our faith,

allowed your holy apostle Thomas

to doubt the resurrection of your Son

till word and sight convinced him:

grant to us, who have not seen, that we may also believe

and so confess Christ as our Lord and our God;

who is alive and reigns with you,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever.

Amen.

With my love and prayers,

Chris Hardwick

Bishop Robert’s Visit to the Tavistock Deanery 19^th – 21^st June.

 As part of the “Bishops in Mission” initiative being undertaken in the Diocese, Bishop Robert will be visiting the Tavistock Deanery from June 19^th to June 21^st. He will be staying in the Deanery during this time, getting to know us better, and helping us to look at new ways of nurturing disciples, spreading the Good News of the Gospel, and serving the people of Devon with joy. A number of events have been organised. On Sunday afternoon, 19th June, from 4.00-6.00 pm., there will be a discussion in Tavistock Parish Centre to which all Churchwardens, Parochial Church Council Members, local Children’s leaders, Foundation Governors, School Head Teachers, and any others interested in discussing our work and exploring opportunities for furthering what we do, are very welcome to attend. Bishop Robert will set out his key visions for the Exeter Diocese and for “serving the people of Devon with joy”. Tea and cakes will be served from 3.30 pm. A short service of Compline will be held later in St Eustachius’ Church at 6.30 pm for anyone who would also like to come this this.

As usual, on Monday 20^th June and Tuesday 21^st June, Morning Prayer will be said in St Eustachius’ Church at 8 am. Please come along if you are able to do so. Bishop Robert will meet with Chapter members at 9.30 am in the Parish Centre, followed by a working lunch in the Deanery with Farmers from 12.30 pm. At 7 pm the Bishop will lead a further open event in St Paul’s Church Hall at Yelverton. This event, which is for those involved in evangelism across the Deanery, will begin with refreshments and will be followed by a discussion to share good practice in areas such as Messy Church, Open the Book, Church trails etc. If you are involved or interested in this work, please do come along. It will also be an excellent opportunity to invite any parents or younger people who may like to know more about what the Church has to offer and is seeking to do. For catering purposes, it would be helpful please if you could let the Parish Office (01822 616673), or Revd Nick Law (nicklaw2@tiscali.co.uk) know if you hope to come. The Bishop will also be speaking about the Church of England’s “Pilgrim Course”, of which he is a co-author.

On Tuesday, 21st June, following Morning Prayer at St Eustachius’, Bishop Robert will lead a workshop on “Growing in Prayer”. This will be a time for reflection and prayer which will begin at 11.00 am and last for approximately 1½ to 2 hours; again, all are welcome. I know there are people of all ages in our parishes and around the Deanery who are already involved in prayer groups and it would be good if you could support this event if possible, and let others know about it. Everyone is very welcome to attend. The venue is still to be confirmed. Please contact the Parish Office or Revd Nick Law nearer the time for details. At 4.00 pm Bishop Robert will meet with TACT members and workers including CATALYST and Street Pastors.

This is an excellent opportunity for us all to spend time with our Bishop. Please do prayer for Bishop Robert and support this visit if you can.

HM The Queen’s 90^th Birthday Celebration

As part of national celebrations, a Benefice service will be held in Tavistock Parish Church on Sunday 12^th June at 3.00 pm to celebrate the Queen’s 90^th birthday. Everyone is welcome. Refreshments will be served afterwards.

Benefice Confirmation Service

 Our Confirmation Service this year will be held on Sunday 26^th June at 10.00 am in St Eustachius’ Church. Bishop Martin Shaw will be confirming adults and young people from Tavistock, Gulworthy, Brent Tor and Mount Kelly. Please do come and support all those being confirmed.

 Petertide

The end of the month of June brings the celebration of St Peter and St.Paul. In recent years the commemoration of these twin pillars of the early church has been put back together again to emphasis the full breadth of the Church’s missionary commission: “Go therefore and spread the Gospel to all nations.” It is right and proper that at Petertide many new priests will be ordained for precisely this mission.

I suspect that each of us holds an image of St Peter in our mind from the early chapters of the Gospels: headstrong, impulsive, outspoken, often clumsy and foolish? Or perhaps the Peter of the Acts of the Apostles: an eloquent preacher, a teacher and a person with powers of healing?

The different sides of St Peter are most clearly seen when we look at the events of Holy Week and Easter – Peter plays a bigger part than any of the other disciples. He is the one who promises to die with Jesus.  It is Peter who draws the sword in the garden of Gethsemane – once again, missing the point and being rebuked by Jesus. Peter famously denies Jesus three times, only for his heart to be broken before the cock crows. Peter dashes into the empty tomb on Easter morning.  It is Peter’s idea to go fishing in the old familiar places.  And it is Peter to whom Jesus says “You are Peter and on this rock I shall build my Church”. Jesus expands on the pastoral role Peter is to have.  Three times Jesus asks Peter: “Do you love me?” Three times, in slightly different ways, he tells Peter to feed his sheep. Three times Peter says he did not know Jesus. Three times he tells the Risen Christ that he does indeed love him. Peter has now learned that the true source of his strength and authority has nothing to do with him but is God-given. Christ has called him to this and it is only in Christ’s strength that he can do anything at all. Once he “rushed in where angels fear to tread”. Now he lets the Spirit move him according to God’s will.

St Peter and St Paul came to be seen as having different parts to play within the leadership of the Church: St Peter in witnessing to the Lordship of Christ and St Paul in developing an understanding of its meaning for Christ’s followers.

Almighty God whose blessed apostles Peter and Paul glorified you in their death as in their life: grant that your Church, inspired by their teaching and example, and made one by your Spirit, may ever stand firm upon one foundation, Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

With my love and prayers                      Chris Hardwick