Seeker

I'm finding it hard to decide how to vote in the UK Parliamentary Election on 6 May. That makes me one of the floating voters the 3 main political parties in England are each hoping to scoop up into their ship. I've followed their leaders' televised debates with interest, but I can't vote for Conservative, Labour or Liberal Democrat party (- order strictly alphabetical, not preferential). There are no candidatates standing for any of these parties in the constituency in which I live. This is because of the quaint tradition of facilitating the return of The Speaker of the House of Commons (who has to be impartial). If you don't know who this is or what this means, official information is here . There seem to be 11 candidates standing for the Buckingham Constituency, including some standing for minor parties and several standing as Independent candidates. I will not be voting for those standing for the BNP, Monster Raving Loony party, UKIP or Cut the Deficit P...

As it turned out, they didn't need their spices that morning, only their eyes and ears and a voice to pass on the message they heard,  "why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here. He is risen." Luke 24: 5 Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

The anger, despair and overwhelming sorrow of grief is a unversal human experience. I think it's beautifully portrayed in this detail of a mourning woman. It's from the painting 'Deposition' by the 15th century Flemish painter Rogier van der Weyden . The original oil on panel is in the Museo del Prado, Madrid . I chose to post this today in an attempt to imaginatively enter the experience of a few women who saw Jesus die, then taken down from the cross and laid in a tomb. Yesterday during the silence in a Good Friday service I found myself thinking about Jesus' mother at her son's crucifixion. It was almost unbearable for me, even just thinking about Mary's experience. What did she feel like the next day I wonder? How did she with Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James and the other women get through that long sabbath? Tomorrow, Easter Sunday, I expect to preach from Luke's account of the women with their spices going early to Jesus...

"So they took Jesus; and carrying the cross by himself, he went out to what is called The Place of the Skull, which in Hebrew is called Golgotha. There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, with Jesus between them." John 19: 16 - 18 NRSV

I love this poem inspired by part of John 13, the gospel reading for today, Maundy Thursday. SUPPER BEING ENDED   In the quiet place   at close of day   he washes the feet of my mind from the dust of its fret.   His infinite eyes   see the staining and wounds of the road, his hands   bring smarting   and cleansing   and balm.   The grace of his health   restores my soul   her place in the circling stars of perpetual praise.   Then, taking again the seamless robe, the Alpha-Omega,   Master and Lord,   we talk together,   friend with friend. Poem by Joan A. Bidwell