Dear Friends,

This week's reflection is provided by Canon Jeffrey Heskins.

The publication of the Makin Report this week has caused a flurry of national press interest in all things Church of England. Journalists have been prowling around the cathedral quarter all week and visitors to the cathedral have been asking so many questions that a memo has been put out to all staff with some wise counsel as to how best to respond. In a situation like this “no comment” is really not the most helpful thing to say. I have looked at part of this very long and detailed report and it does not make very comfortable reading. What I think it indicates ever more clearly is how the responsibility of making the Church a safe place for people to inhabit is one that belongs to all of us and not just a handful. If the Church really is the living body of Christ, then we all need each other no matter what different parts of the body we might like to think we belong to. This sense of corporate responsibility is there in all our readings today. Daniel is looking forward to going home to Jerusalem with all the people who have been exiled into captivity, but he tells them not to lean on their laurels. They are in this together – all of them – the good the bad and the ugly! He tells them to stay faithful and lead each other in the right way. The writer to the Hebrews tells his audience that they should spend their time thinking about how they can provoke one another to love and good deeds. Stay faithful, he tells them. Jesus, sitting with his mates on a hill overlooking the magnificent Temple warns them about the fragile nature of human institutions and tells them to keep their wits about them and not be led astray. Be vigilant he tells them. Safeguarding each other and caring for each other must always be everyone’s responsibility and this must become our new culture change if we are to heed the lessons laid out in this Report.

Have a great week,

best wishes,

Rachel