Rev Rosie writes February 2025

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

February is the month when LOVE seems to be the focus in most of the shops; cards, flowers, gifts of all sorts, and bottles of champagne are promoted as the way to show love to your loved one. Yes, it’s great for our love to be acknowledged and I always enjoy it when Tim, my husband, produces his bunch of roses for me, but love is important every day of the year and not just shown by a gift, however thoughtful it is
 
Many of you will be familiar with the reading from 1 Corinthians 13 which says:
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres” NIV
 
But reading it from The Message version, it is not quite so poetic but cuts to the point:
“Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have. Love doesn’t strut, doesn’t have a swelled head, doesn’t force itself on others, isn’t always “me first,” doesn’t fly off the handle, doesn’t keep score of the sins of others, doesn’t revel when others grovel, takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, puts up with anything, trusts God always, always looks for the best, never looks back, but keeps going to the end. Love never dies”
 
Love is a quality of life that changes our lives and the lives of those around us. When we choose to love – and love is a choice – we put the needs of others before our own, and the other person might be encouraged, feel accepted, know your generosity or patience or kindness and the relationships with those around us are deepened. But sometimes love has to be tough! In love we sometimes have to say “no!”; when it’s a “no” for the benefit of another (and not ourselves) it is not easy to do, but it is the right thing to do. I always think that a parent’s “no”, for instance, is often misunderstood at the time, but later recognised for what it was – love in action
 
Too often we can focus on love being an emotion and a feeling, but love can only really be seen when it is expressed in action. One story stands out for me; told to me by a bereft widow who had recently lost the love of her life. She told me that before they were married, her husband would cycle from Martham to Great Yarmouth to meet her out of work every Friday evening and they would enjoy time together over a fish and chip supper, before he saw her home and cycled home himself. He never failed to do this during their courtship and betrothal until they were married, and they spent all their available time together. It had cost him dearly as he worked on the land, starting early and finishing quite late, but he never complained
 
The Bible also teaches us that love involves forgiveness – sometimes more often than we would like. Holding un-forgiveness, resentment or an idea of “pay-back”, is never good for us. It might make us feel good for a brief spell, but is so destructive and the opposite of love. Love covers over a multitude of sins! When we really love, deeply, we find it within ourselves (often with God’s help) to overlook the faults and hurts caused by others. Love in that way can be costly to the one who loves and a beautiful gift to those who receive it. Often we don’t appreciate the love we receive, until it is gone
 
The Bible passages about love that I mentioned earlier are descriptions of God’s love for us, and the love that we can enjoy through him, for other people as well as God himself. God’s love for us sets us free to love with a generosity and confidence because he first loved us, and will continue to love us, always
 
What a gift to receive! A gift that continues to bloom and flourish, because God’s love never dies, unlike the bouquet of roses, however fresh they are

Rev Rosie Bunn

image courtesy of Village Voice