From far away to Canaan I do move,
To find Someone whose Godhead He does prove.
His teachings ever forward shall shine forth,
To reach the west, the south, the east, the north.
 
With five year celebration cast aside;
No matter if we may with You abide.
Though recent labours may have been in vain
We shall arise to praise You yet again.
 
A single virus – does it have such force?
No, single Teacher, you show us true course.
So to Jerusalem we now process,
Where You move ills and sins into recess.
 
One year in twenty centuries – no great delay.
To God, the Son and Holy Ghost – anew we’ll pray.
 
Paul/IDM
24 March 2020

Reflection on The Prodigal Son
“The father loved his son and so gave him his share of his wealth.
There, my son.”

As I was learning these lines, they struck me as rather strange.  Surely the father must have realised that as soon as the son got the money, he would be lured off to the big city, to self-gratification and to fair-weather friends.  Surely if the father really loved his son, he would have not put that amount of temptation in his way. 

Slowly, however, I realised that this is how the Father in heaven loved His earthly children. He gave them free will, he entrusted them with this whole beautiful planet earth. He gave us all the choice of obedience or self-love.

Of course, we have spat in the face of His love, and in disobedience we have foolishly and selfishly strayed away, and where do we find ourselves? Wallowing in the mud with the pigs.

So here is where the Father really did love his son, just as He loved each one of us; if we suddenly come to our senses and come back to Him, He welcomes us back with open arms.

Arms that have been opened wide and nailed to a Roman gibbet, arms that want to forgive us and just envelop us and enfold us in the eternal ever-flowing  Spirit of Love, which streams between the Heavenly Father and His Risen Son.  

Father/Disciple Thaddeus (Ian Hempshall)