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This week in the news we saw the bizarre AI generated artwork of Donald Trump issued on social media which depicted him as a Christ-like figure healing a man, surrounded by distant images of US combat forces in action. This posting outraged both Catholics and Protestants within and outside of the USA. It’s also a telling image in terms of what it says about the delusions of power. Go back to medieval times, or to the cultures of the ancient near East, and you encounter many images of rulers who portrayed themselves as gods. However, all were mere mortals and their legacy is now apparent in decaying sculptures, monuments and historical fiction.

We also recently had the result of the Hungarian election, in which the populist ‘Christian nationalist’ leader Viktor Orban was ousted by a significant majority of voters. His legacy was one of national division, a government mired in corruption and a destructive alliance with Russia. Could this be the beginning of a European pendulum swing away from politicians who appoint themselves as saviours harking back to past glories?

What’s intriguing about the gospels is how the glory of Christ as Messiah is so often hidden from view. Unlike the populist leaders and dictators of this world - who thrive on self-aggrandisement and cultivate a public image of self-styled glory - we see Jesus telling his disciples that his identity as Messiah should remain a secret. In our gospel reading from Luke 24, the identity of Jesus as the risen Christ is hidden in plain sight from his two companions on the road to Emmaus. This identity is only revealed to them when he breaks bread with them at the table: a surprising moment that reveals the profound reality of ‘my body broken for you’. From this moment on, these disciples must learn to jettison their worldly ideas of a political messiah and embrace the glory of a servant king who was ‘crucified in weakness, but lives by the power of God’ (2 Cor. 13:4).  Jesus models for us a humble, sacrificial model of leadership which is entirely at odds with the kingdoms of this world.

Rev’d Philip

When I first came to the vicarage in April 2021 my first sight of the backyard was of the little apple tree in full bloom, and in the fields behind, about 20 ewes with their lambs frisking around them. It was a glorious, uplifting sight, particularly as we had just come through the last winter of the pandemic living in a crowded suburb. Five years later, the apple tree (despite my amateurish pruning) is still going strong and there are new lambs running happily in nearby fields. Spring brings with it a reminder that life cannot be restrained: that creation is alive with God’s handiwork.

In our Easter season Sunday gospel readings from John, we encounter Jesus statements about ‘abundant life’ and a series of teachings which focus on how we might experience this. Jesus speaks about himself as ‘the good shepherd’ who looks after his sheep; as ‘the way, the truth and the life’ and ‘the true vine’ in which we are called to abide and be fruitful. John’s writing is simultaneously simple and profound. I recommend reading John chapters 14-18 slowly and carefully, taking the time to meditate on the imagery and asking God to ‘open the eyes of your heart’.  It may well be the season for you to encounter life in all its abundance. 

Rev’d Philip