SUNDAY 2 AUGUST 2020

Breath of God, breath of life, breath of deepest yearning,

COME, HOLY SPIRIT.

Comforter, Disturber, Interpreter, Inspirer,

COME, HOLY SPIRIT.

Heavenly Friend, Lamplighter, Revealer of Truth, Midwife of change,

COME, HOLY SPIRIT.

The Lord is here,

GOD’S SPIRIT IS WITH US.

Reading : John 15 : 9-17,

John 16 : 12-15

“I’ve loved you the way my Father has loved me. Make yourselves at home in my love. If you keep my commands, you’ll remain intimately at home in my love. That’s what I’ve done—kept my Father’s commands and made myself at home in his love. “I’ve told you these things for a purpose: that my joy might be your joy, and your joy wholly mature. This is my command: Love one another the way I loved you. This is the very best way to love. Put your life on the line for your friends. You are my friends when you do the things I command you. I’m no longer calling you servants because servants don’t understand what their master is thinking and planning. No, I’ve named you friends because I’ve let you in on everything I’ve heard from the Father.”

“I still have many things to tell you, but you can’t handle them now. But when the Friend comes, the Spirit of the Truth, he will take you by the hand and guide you into all the truth there is. He won’t draw attention to himself, but will make sense out of what is about to happen and, indeed, out of all that I have done and said. He will honour me; he will take from me and deliver it to you. Everything the Father has is also mine. That is why I’ve said, ‘He takes from me and delivers to you.’ ( The Message )

Reflection.

For sure we are always learning something new aren’t we?

And, on Thursday morning as I was listening to the breakfast show on Radio 2 I leaned that 30th July is Friendship Day.

The first World Friendship Day was proposed for 30 July 1958 by the World Friendship Crusade, an international civil organisation that campaigns to foster a culture of peace through friendship.

With that in mind, and wanting to share my new found knowledge I mentioned this on Friday morning at our prayer time, and asked the folks gathered if they wished to share what friendship means to them.

Four of those gathered wrote down their thoughts and I share them with you now.

“Friends, Listen to our very heart, do not judge but understand”

“Friends, Are those who support you through good times and bad, whether you are right or wrong”

“Friends, There is nothing like having friends in time of need. I know because friendship has held me up in time of need. What a friend we have in Jesus.”

“Friends, Sharing, caring, supportive, fun,...even development! Advice.

I have been blessed with many friends; some at particular stages in my life have really guided me in faith and through challenging times. On other occasions we have fun, laughter together! Friends of different ages and stages.

Thank you Lord. Please help me to be a friend every day.”

Lovely positive responses from folks who know the value of friendships in their lives.

I wonder what you would say if I asked you?

In the reading from John’s Gospel, Jesus is speaking words of encouragement to his disciples the evening before he is arrested. He’s shared a meal with them, washed their feet, and spoken to them of the days to come.

He knows they will need one another, and is encouraging them to love one another, and has called them friends.

He has let them in on all that he knows of his Father, and promises them that in days to come, not only will they only have themselves to rely on, for the Father will send another Friend to them.

He is speaking of course of the Holy Spirit, who will fall upon them, and remain with them forever.

This Friend will have many of the qualities of character that our prayer folks shared with us

on Friday morning.

And, more, He will explain to us things that we often find hard to understand about God’s love for us and for others. For this Friend holds all the answers to all the questions we have about our lives.

I recall words spoken by the women who encountered Jesus at the Well in Samaria. After she had been in conversation with Jesus, she returned to her village exclaiming to people,

“Come and see a man who knew about all the things I did, who knows me inside and out”

Jesus spoke to her about a time to come when people will worship “in Spirit and in Truth”

And, he spoke to his disciples and in fact to us this day, of the coming of the Holy Spirit who will be our “BFF” which of course stands for “Best Friend Forever”

I pray you will know the beauty of friendship in your lives, but more, that you will let your "BFF" minister into you this day.

“What A Friend I’ve Found

What a friend I've found Closer than a brother I have felt your touch More intimate than lovers Jesus, Jesus Jesus, friend forever What a hope I've found More faithful than a mother It would break my heart To ever lose each other Jesus, Jesus Jesus, friend forever Jesus, Jesus Jesus, friend forever I love You, Jesus