Rev Rosie writes March 2024

Rev Rosie Bunn
Rector of All Saints Church, Belton
and
St Peter & St Paul Church, Burgh Castle

As I write this, I am looking out at the beauty of the snowdrops, daffodils, crocuses and primroses that are blooming in swathes in my garden. The glorious spectacle of the spring bulbs in the Rectory garden never fail to inspire and cheer me. Some years it is despite the bitter weather that they appear bold against the frosty garden; this year they are flowering amongst the puddles of the saturated ground. Even the bluebells are beginning to show their sprouting leaves, but these are readily eaten by the deer that pass through the garden
 
What is so inspiring? For me, it is the promise fulfilled of a bulb that has “died” last spring pushing through once again to glorious life; not just one but many, many bulbs. When we plant new bulbs, which I plant in some of my pots, we plant in the hope that they produce the abundance of life in an array of colours – but sometimes the squirrels find them (they especially love tulip bulbs) and what we hoped for doesn’t arrive
 
The Christian life can be like that! We read of Jesus’ life; his birth, his time of travelling and teaching, and the account of the last week or so of his earthly life. For me, his story is inspiring; it gets me up in the morning! There is much in the Bible that talks about growing and harvest; of seeds sown, nurtured and their fruits enjoyed. The spring flowers always remind me of the Easter story
 
Jesus came into the lives of his disciples, transformed them and they followed him with the expectation that he was going to change the world. The way he did it wasn’t what they initially expected, and the shock of Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion was enormous for them at the time. A life that showed such promise, cut down in his prime! But for God, this was part of the plan for salvation for all people
 
Jesus chose to go through the pain and suffering of the cross, so that a new relationship with God and his people would be possible. He chose to die as a perfect human being, instead of us. He chose to represent us and carry all the sinful wrong things that we do, whether we intend to or not, so that we could enjoy life in all its fullness. To me the sight of the pure white snowdrops and golden yellow daffodils against the grassy or leafy background, remind me of what is possible because of Jesus. A life that reflects the beauty and glory of God often shines out in our world, which can seem grey all too often
 
In Baptism services we have the symbolism of dying to sin and rising to new life; baptism originally meant a person going right under the water and then coming up again (rather than the sprinkling of water on the forehead). A passage in the Bible that I read occasionally at funeral services talks about seeds that are planted; what we sow does not come to life unless it dies, we do not sow the body that is to be, but a bare seed of wheat or some other grain . . . This speaks of eternal life, the life with God that begins here on earth and carries on after we have died. This promise comes as a result of all that happened in that first Easter. Jesus dies and is resurrected; he overcomes death with the promise that there is more to life than just our earthly life
 
As we go through this month of March, in our church services we shall be remembering Jesus’ journey towards Jerusalem and all that would happen there
 
Palm Sunday and his riding into Jerusalem in a party atmosphere; Maundy Thursday as he celebrates one of the most important festivals in the Hebrew festival and gives us what would become the Last Supper/Holy Communion, having washed his disciples feet as a servant; Good Friday when he dies on the cross and is buried in a tomb. Easter Day when he is risen, and see and spoken to by many people. There will be a lot going on in our churches at the end of the month as we remember all that is central to our Christian faith. Please know that you will be made very welcome if you wanted to come and find out more. Or just read the account of holy Week and Easter in one of the gospels – Matthew, Mark, Luke or John and let God bring his story to life in you
 
Rev Rosie Bunn

images courtesy of Village Voice