Rector’s Letter – April 2017

Dear folks,

I write this having just returned from visiting our friends at St James Church Kolkata. We enjoyed a wonderful time and later this month the team and I will hold a presentation evening to tell you all about it.

While there I invited Rev Shreeraj, Vicar of St James, whom many of you met when he visited us here in Dunblane last summer, to write the opening letter to our April magazine…

Nick

My dear Rev. Nick and friends at St. Mary’s,

I greet you with joy in the name of Jesus Christ, our risen Lord and Saviour.

Thank you Rev. Nick for asking me to write an Open Letter for your magazine, I am truly honoured and humbled.

My dear friends, we cannot celebrate Easter, without reminding ourselves of the sacrifice made by our Lord, Jesus Christ for us. Here I would like to share a short story with you:

Isaac lived near his sister Ruth. While Isaac was a bachelor, Ruth was married and had three children. Ruth always worried about her brother as he lived alone. “Winter is around the corner and my brother will not think of keeping enough grain in his barn,” thought Ruth. So she decided to help. Knowing her brother would not willingly accept help, she sneaked out at night with a sack of grain and carried it across to Isaac’s barn and put it in a corner.

In the meantime, Isaac was worrying about his sister Ruth. “Winter is coming and my dear sister has so many mouths to feed, I must help her, but without her knowledge. She is so stubborn when it comes to accepting help.” thought Isaac. So, he sneaked out at night with a sack of grain and carried it across to Ruth’s barn and put it in a corner. This went on for quite a few days, until it so happened that one day they met on the way to each other’s houses with the sacks of grain on their backs. Explanations and laughter followed. Isaac and Ruth put their arms around each other and with tears in her eyes, Ruth said “My dear Isaac this is truly a blessing from God that we love and care for each other so much that we want to share what we have. Let us see who needs help in our village and share our grain with them”. Isaac willingly agreed.

Yes my dear Friends, Easter is a time when we, with joy, celebrate the Risen Lord Jesus. However, this only became possible because God our Father, shared His Son, Jesus with us, gave His Son, Jesus to be a living sacrifice and because Jesus gave His life for us. It is only through this sharing and giving that we have been offered the gift of eternal life. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” [John 3:16]

During the three years Jesus worked on this earth, He time and again reminded us how important it is to give to those in need. Mark 10:21 is a perfect example “Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

Jesus conquered death on that Easter morn, thousands of years ago and today we all share in the good news of eternal life, news that we must share with others. I pray that more and more people become lights shining out through the darkness of sin, need and despair by giving love, hope through Jesus Christ, a sympathetic ear, a comforting arm, a warm meal, to those in need, not just during Easter, but the year round.

I am personally filled with joy as I spent a few days in Dunblane last Summer and was truly overwhelmed by the way you shared God’s love with me and the team through the various wings of your Church, all the other activities and finally, by choosing St. James’ Church as your friend to expand God’s love.

May the Lord fill you and your families with a joy that nothing in the world can give.

I sign off by wishing each one of you and your families a very Happy and blessed Easter.

Rev. Shreeraj Mohanty