This week Canon Jeffrey Heskins has been reflecting on fiction and life.

I have just finished a novel in which the lead character, who is held in high regard by her town community, appears to make a serious error of judgement and becomes the source of scandalous gossip.  As the story unravels it appears that she has been the victim of misunderstanding and although the truth is out as to her innocence, the town community and the local church prefer the scandalous version and behave towards her accordingly.  In today’s gospel reading from Mark, we are confronted with the enormous cost of what it means to be human beings living out the Christian ideal.  Whatever our understanding of the notion of ‘eternal life’ might be, it has little to do with going on living for evermore as we know it.  Then, as now, we have to see it as living within the life of God and within the values that this life demands of us.  The young man asking the question goes away grieving the answer he is given.  But note this, Jesus neither berates him, nor allows his disciples to make fun of him for his response.  Jesus knows that the whole of human life is susceptible in the same way.  Whether the message here is about what we do with our money and material wealth or how we direct our attitudes away from judging people towards new and forgiving attitudes that allow people back into the community they have been ostracized from, it carries the same message.  Be generous to one another and start today – don’t wait until next week or next year.  The time to do it, is now.

Thank you to everyone who came and supported the Commissioning Service of Toby and Mark to the Ministry Experience Scheme last Saturday.  It was a joyful event and the trestle tables at St Giles were heaving under the weight of cake and other delicious comestibles.  Thank you to everyone who contributed to the day.

Have a great week.

Best wishes,

Rachel