My Dear Friends,

As we continue our ramble along the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, we encounter the Gift of Healing. 
Fr Rodney is much better placed than I am to speak about such matters, but I am certainly happy to share my thoughts.

The early church without doubt continued with the ministry of healing, which had been so beautifully expressed throughout the life of Jesus. Jesus laid his hands upon people and brought about healing and wholeness. His disciples followed in this patter, and we have plenty of descriptions of people being healed at the hands of the followers of Christ, and as a consequence of prayer. If that were not the case, Paul would not have included it in this list.

It is clear that Jesus understood the need for healing of both body and soul and a great example of the is story of the Gerasene Demoniac from Luke 8:26-39.

However as history developed, the church started to focus more on the soul, leaving the body to the medical profession, and the healing ministry of the church went in to a bit of a decline. But it never disappeared, and has always been part of the lives of a goodly number of people who understood both the power of prayer, and the Christian tradition, gift and ministry of Healing.

James writes in chapter 5
Are any among you suffering? They should pray. Are any cheerful? They should sing songs of praise. ¹⁴ Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. ¹⁵ The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up; and anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven.

The Gift of healing however must not be misunderstood. It is always through the Jesus Christ that healing comes about, as is evident in the story of the lame beggar from Acts 3 1-10

Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate to ask alms of those entering the temple. Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms. And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. And leaping up he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God, and recognized him as the one who sat at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, asking for alms. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

As the Christian Healing Ministry has developed over the centuries, our understanding has grown. Sometimes people in the past have seen it as a sort of magic answer, and then been disappointed when their prayer was not answered in the way that they had hoped. Others had been led to believe that healing was dependent on a particular level of faith, and then when their prayers did not come to fruition in the way they hoped, they then felt guilty about not having enough faith.

Others thought that the sacrament of Unction, anointing with oil, meant that they were about to die, and so that went out of fashion!
So let us briefly look at what we might hope for within the practice of the Churches Ministry of healing.

We believe that God loves us, and wants the best for us. But we also know that suffering of all kinds, and ultimately death are conditions from which we cannot escape.
But God is not distant, and in the life of Jesus he shared our experience of suffering, pain and death, and because of that he can draw close to us in such times.
But his resurrection and the power of the Holy Spirit give us hope that we may experience a foretaste of the Kingdom of Heaven here and now, and through the ministry of healing we shall receive the love, strength and healing touch of Christ. What form that will take we cannot tell.

It may be ‘help to carry us through a prolonged illness or disability

A recovery more rapid than expected

Experiencing our fear of death being driven out by God’s love

A healing which is so unexpected that we immediately want to thank God
(From a Time to heal, Church House Publishing)

The forms of the Churches Ministry of Healing that you would be most familiar are widely use. In particular the prayers of intercession. These are used at every service in church and many people have a list of those in need, and they bring them to the Lord in prayer. I am sure that you have been asked to pray for someone who is poorly, or going through a tough time. The tradition is that we address those prayers to the Father, through the Son and in the Power of the Holy Spirit. They combine our love with Gods’ love, and our will with his. In so doing we embrace his desire that we might work to bring help to those in need.
So, for example, we couldn’t pray for someone who was hungry, but not try and share our abundance of food. Or pray for someone who was lonely, and ignore them.
Similarly, we could not pray for the sick, and not do our best to offer medical help.

The Church also offers the Laying on of hands. Sometimes actions speak more clearly, and touch can convey a message of love and assurance, and it can link with Christ’s command to heal the sick. This, among other things can make a person feel less fearful or alone as they go through their suffering.

This may well be accompanied by Anointing during which we pray that as we are outwardly anointed with oil, we shall be inwardly anointed with the Holy Spirit. This sacrament allows us to experience that outward and visible sign of Gods inward and spiritual gift of grace.

The church also offers the ministry of Reconciliation, sometimes known as confession and absolution.
The Anglican tradition values the use of a general confession as a communal act within the regular service, but it also makes provision for private confession to a priest. For some this can be really helpful, and it may include spiritual guidance and counsel.

Add to all of these, friendship, listening, acceptance and affirmation can also have a healing grace, and so we can all be involved in different ways with the healing ministry of the church, and practice that Gift which is given to you.

Bless you, Bless you, Bless you, 

As ever,

Fr Marcus

On Friday Lynda, Sandra and I did our Climbing and Abseiling challenge at Toix West, on the edge of Calpe. It was part of my process for overcoming my fear of heights before Sandra and I walk the Camino del Rey which is very scary.Our trip was organised by David, a very experienced mountaineer and we were led by Trevor and Des from Rock and Sun, who were absolutely brilliant. We all did really well, and achieved more than any of us imagined. I personally never thought I could climb that high, but the team made sure we were all perfectly safe, and in fact I whizzed up that mountain! Our confidence boosted and our spirits high, we are all now ready for anything!Huge thank you to all who made it happen (David and Rock and Sun), and for those who have sponsored us.
Watch this post for our next adventure!
Fr Marcus, Sandra, Lynda and David

From our lay reader, Stephen Carden –

Another bumper load of essential supplies delivered to the Franciscans,  generously donated by our congregations, helping to keep their wonderful work of love and charity going in these difficult times.  Thank you to everyone who has supported this Chaplaincy wide appeal.  The Brothers care for 45 homeless and ill men, without any State aid. If you would like more information please contact Stephen on 647 285485or email cardenstephen@yahoo.co.uk.

Good Day to you Lovely People,I hope all is well with you and yours.

Here is the link to today’s video. I hope you can find something in it to make you feel good!

Hair dryers, balloons, windmills and the Holy Spirit.

As ever,

Fr. Marcus

Tuesday Offering from Fr Marcus  25^th May 2021 

My Dear Friends,

What a beautiful Celebration we had across the Chaplaincy over the weekend, with lots of enthusiasm, plenty of guests, great fun and laughter, and a huge outpouring of the Holy Spirit. 

I hope you experienced the same wherever you were.

Last year at this time I did a series on the Fruits of the Spirit, and it seemed to be received well. This year we shall be looking at the Gifts, and so just to remind you here is Paul in 1 Corinthians 12 giving us a clue:

12 Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed

⁴ There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. ⁵ There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. ⁶ There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.

⁷ Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. ⁸ To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, ⁹ to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, ¹⁰ to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues,^[a] and to still another the interpretation of tongues.^[b] 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

Paul talks about all of this within the context of us being the Body of Christ, and the Gifts given freely to us in order that we can work together to build that Body and grow the Kingdom.

This list, of course is not exhaustive, but rather a series of examples of the diversity with which The Holy Spirit equips the members of the Body.

And from the King James Version, but same chapter he goes on to say
²⁷ Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. ²⁸ And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. ²⁹ Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? ³⁰ Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? ³¹ But earnestly desire the ^[i]best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.

I love this translation as it talks about those who have the gift of Administration! We shall go on to Chapter 13 later in the series. But let us spend a while unpacking our relationship with both the Holy Spirit, and the Gifts he has given us.

The Holy Spirit is the power and energy and presence of God at work in us now, fully active for the good of the church and the world. It is part of the mystery which is the Holy Trinity, and has always been there and always will be. 
Both gentle and dramatic The Holy Spirit can bring about major changes in the lives of those who seek it, but also challenge and change the lives of those who don’t. Paul (Saul) was not seeking the Holy Spirit on the Road to Damascus.

The Holy Spirit is not confined to any lists, practices or patterns in the same way that God is not confined to the Sacraments, to Church members or to Scripture.
Sometimes it is obvious that God the Holy Spirit is at work in our own lives, when we feel the ‘Call’ to a particular course of action. Other times it can be much more subtle, and of course, for many folk there can be a resistance to it. An inhibition brought about sometimes through humility (Why would God choose me) to the strength of our own desires (Maybe God is calling me to serve him as an evangelist, but I think I can do it better in my present role as ………… )

One thing I am sure of. God pours his Spirit freely in to our hearts, and that Spirit is active. He calls us to build his church, and equips us with everything we need in order to do it. God uses the most unexpected people to do his will, and he Blesses us, every one.

So, in this series we shall unpack some of the Gifts of the Spirit, practice a little ‘Gift Detection’ and see how best we can use what God has given us.

So, the first in our list is the Spiritual Gift of Wisdom. (Not the same as brilliance, intelligence or knowledge)
You will know the Greek word for Wisdom is sophia. (The word philosophy means love (philo) of wisdom)

Wisdom has been defines as ‘The knowledge of things human and divine, and their causes’ (Clement of Alexandria)
Striving after the bests ends and using the best means. (Aristotle)
It comes not so much from thought and from communion with God

The second in our list is knowledge, and they go together so well. In fact both are necessary.
Knowledge, gnosis, (Agnostic – The reality of God is unknown or unknowable) is more practical than wisdom.  It is the knowledge which knows what to do in any given situation. It is the application of wisdom, and vice versa. Knowledge is about knowing stuff. Wisdom is about making sense of it, putting them together is the gift of applying them within a fellowship. As Gifts of the Holy Spirit Wisdom and Knowledge together enable people to both live according to the will and way of God, but also to understand what they are doing.

It is quite possible to have much knowledge, but little wisdom, or to have plenty of wisdom, but within a narrow spectrum. Within the Body of Christ God the Holy Spirit Gifts the appropriate amounts of Wisdom and Knowledge to various members in order that we can put in to practice our genuine response to the glorious things that God has done.

Bless you, Bless you, Bless you.

Fr Marcus 

The link became corrupted in the previous post.

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Tomorrow we celebrate Pentecost (otherwise know as “Whitsunday”) AND the 50th anniversary of this Chaplaincy.

Our churches are all operating services at their normal times, with various celebrations, and we have an additional sung evensong in Albir at 3.30pm. Do join us if you can.

Full details of the weekly eucharist can be found at this page – https://costablanca-anglicanchaplaincy.org/churches-and-services-3/.

Fr. Rodney and Fr. Robin will be broadcasting their now regular communion service on Fr. Rodney’s Facebook page. It will be “streamed” live on Sunday at 10am Spanish time (9am BST) and then available all day on Sunday, to join at your leisure. As always both the live broadcast and the recording will be available on the following page – https://www.facebook.com/rodney.middleton.940. If you are not ready or not able to join us in one of our churches this is a wonderful way to share our worship.

In all our churches we are committed to abide by the regulations; sanitation, social distancing, mask wearing and personal sanitising on entry. We continue to keep a record of attendees for track and trace purposes if needed.

And remember to tune in to Fr. Marcus for his live Sunday radio programme, between 6pm and 8pm, Spanish time, on Pure Gold FM. You can listen on the radio on 94.1 FM. Or on your computer, tablet or phone join through the listen live button on https://puregold.fm/.

If you wish to make a donation to support our Chaplaincy, which is entirely self-funded, just click the following link –

https://www.paypal.com/donate?token=htoxSRfptM9oUNY_4LaKYSO0gO6FgI8YwV5CjjiyUD38eQQlldjL-dplrRqmmIMGiZe6OMNY_Rpajejx

Please find attached my offering for today.
This weekend will be an awesome occasion across our Chaplaincy, and the Holy Spirit will be alive and active in our hearts, so please do your best to be wonderful ambassadors of Christ, and share the love.

Good Day My Friends,

What a week it will be – Churches across our Chaplaincy, and indeed across the world are gearing themselves up for the great Feast of Pentecost. This year, as you know, in the Chaplaincy of the Holy Spirit Costa Blanca we are also celebrating 50 years since we were formally recognised a Chaplaincy and Fr Cyril Mudford was Licensed as honorary Chaplain. Services were originally at his house, then at the Ermita del Popul in Jesus Pobre, and we still worship there. That was our first Spiritual Home in the Costa Blanca.

So, there will be lots of excitement, enjoyment and enthusiasm for our celebrations this weekend. But let us not lose sight of what we are doing. In the Eucharist we are giving thanks for all that God has done, is doing and will do to bring about the furtherance of his Kingdom in not least by the original sending of his most Holy Spirit to bring about the church in its many and varied forms.

We talk a great deal about the Holy Spirit, but sometimes we take for granted the impact it has had on our lives. Yes we were promised it and we believe we received it at our Baptism, and that gift was confirmed by God at our Confirmation. We say we rely on it, trust it and are inspired by it, but sometimes we just continue to make our own plans and follow our own desires. So let’s get a few things straight.

The Holy Spirit is part of the Blessed Trinity, sometimes referred to as ‘The Power of God at work in his church and the world now’. That same power that brings about creation, that gives life to you and I and that fills our very souls. This Holy Spirit is no little thing, but the activity of God working through you as he abides in you and drives you forward renewing, revealing and recreating his will within each of us.

The Holy Spirit has given you personally a range of Spiritual Gifts in order that you may play your part in building the fellowship of the Body of Christ. These God given gifts enable you to reach out to your full potential, and achieve things in the name of our Father that on our own we would not think are possible. Those early disciples suddenly found themselves with an ability to tell folk the great things that God had done in ways that they could understand. They moved with confidence out of the security of their comfort zone, and filled with the utmost joy they lived their lives showing that what they believed was true. And through the work of the Holy Spirit they founded the church to which you and I belong.

The Holy Spirit has inspired Preachers, Priests, Parents and Prophets to share stories with you that have influenced your lives, and led you on this lifelong journey of faith.
The Holy Spirit has filled you with Faith and Love to such an extent that you have been able to see and experience the Grace of God at work in your lives, and the lives of others. To forgive and be forgiven. To accept the mystery of how God can dwell in your heart, and to accept that absolute bliss that comes not from the desires of the world, but from discerning and following the Will of God.
The Holy Spirit brings the scriptures alive, and reminds us that when Jesus is talking, he is speaking very clearly to us in our own situation. 
But the Spirit is not just about Power and Gifts and Building the Kingdom. It is also the source of those fruits that we all long for. Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self Control. These things come our way freely when we allow the Holy Spirit to dwell in our hearts. They are a consequence of us Living by the Spirit rather than elusive things which we have to strive for.
My hope and prayer, this year more than any other is that we will not only allow, but will welcome openly the Holy Spirit into our hearts and minds and souls, and we will allow ourselves to be transformed and moulded by his presence.
It is the Holy Spirit who leads and guides us on our mission, and we regularly pray the following prayer before we leave church.

Almighty God,
we thank you for feeding us
with the body and blood of your Son Jesus Christ.
Through him we offer you our souls and bodies
to be a living sacrifice.
Send us out
in the power of your Spirit
to live and work
to your praise and glory.
Amen.

In this prayer we are offering ourselves to God, and we are praying that we be sent out in the Power of the Holy Spirit. Imagine the difference to the world if every Christian put into practice the content of that beautiful prayer. I know we will, and I can’t wait.

Bless you, Bless you, Bless you,

Fr Marcus

Click the link to watch Fr. Marcus’ video. Do find time to watch this powerful message, as we approach the important festival of Pentecost and the Chaplaincy’s 50th anniversary. https://youtu.be/T4PYV5d3_mk

The coming of the Holy Spirit

My Dear Friends,

We are about to embark on a little walk around the idea of the Holy Spirit, and try and embrace the mystery which fills every one of us.

Last Thursday we celebrated the feast of the Ascension. Jesus has gone to be with his Father, and before he left he told his disciple
 “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about”

And so they waited.

It was a strange time for them. They had been devastated when Jesus had been killed, and then overjoyed when he had risen. Of course they had. Then 40 days  ( long time) later he was gone again after promising them the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Like his previous promises about rising from the dead, they had heard the words, but were not quite sure what it all meant. The Holy Spirit, The Comforter, The Gift, The Helper. Jesus had spoken about a power from on high, he had promised them that something would happen, but what?
Jesus had also told them at the end of Matthew’s Gospel to
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

So, they had been told to wait for this gift, but they were not sure what would happen.
There was a great mixture in their emotions. They were still fearful of what might happen to them. The authorities has crucified their leader, and anything was possible if they made a fuss or drew attention to the fact that he was alive. But Jesus had said he will be always with them, so there was that reassurance – but what did it mean when they couldn’t see him.
So, they waited, but like so many people who are called to wait, they mixed that obedience with some action. The decided to replace Judas with another apostle, because

 “Scripture had to be fulfilled in which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus. He was one of our number and shared in our ministry.” (Note Peter is quoting the Holy Spirit here, while they were still waiting)

So taking two possible candidates from their midst who had been with them throughout Jesus’ ministry, they cast lots, and Matthais was chosen “For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.”

Let’s just unpack. Pentecost had not yet happened, but they knew that the Holy Spirit existed, and was something to do with God, they knew that they had to tell people the great things God had done, they knew they had been promised something, but they were also scared, uncertain and didn’t quite know what to do next.

This first part of my little series on the Holy Spirit is all about that. The uncertainty of waiting for something which is a mystery.

We all have to wait, for a whole range of different things. Varying from the exciting anticipation of waiting for a lover to arrive to the desperately sad feeling of loss at we wait beside the bed for the last breath of a dying loved one, and everything in between.
Often we know what we are waiting for. A particular date, the arrival of something specific or the weather to change.
Sometimes we are waiting, and whatever it is, is within a series of options. The result of tests, or an interview for a job or the numbers picked for the lottery. The travel restrictions to be eased and the chance to see family members again.

But in our story of the Apostles in Jerusalem they were waiting for something to do with God which was beyond their imagination.
Jesus had promise to send the Counsellor, and they trusted him, but what would happen. What did it mean? How would they know? What would they do?
Their fear was mixed with anticipation and excitement. They had a story to tell – the greatest story ever, and they had witnessed the resurrection, and that had brought them unending joy. But what was going to happen next?

This is the part I want us to ponder. What do we think God has in store for us as we continue our journey of faith. What will our future hold. What about the future of our local church or the Chaplaincy itself.
When we think of God and our future do we have a sense of fear, or a sence of wonder and excitement?
I hope we have a sort of child like wonder that believes and accepts that all things are possible with God, and he wants the best for us, for our loved ones, for the church and the world.

I believe, like the apostles, we have some things to do while we are waiting for the fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit into our lives. They are not necessarily easy, but they are real.

The first is to embrace trust in the will of God. He will, without doubt, call us to live closer to him, and will encourage us to build his Kingdom – and he will equip us for every task he wants us to perform. So fear not and accept his will.

The second is to wonder about our plans whatever they are. Are they more about what we want, more about our own ego, our own desires – even if we dress them up in ‘Church speak’
You see if we are very committed to doing what we think, we may have less freedom to hear what Jesus is saying to us. So take a little time aw we wait for Sunday, and speak with God, but more importantly listen.

Thirdly, look forward with Joy. If we allow the Holy Spirit to guide, comfort, lead and help us, we are doing what Jesus calls us to do, so that ‘Our joy may be complete’.

My final point is that sometimes the Holy Spirit becomes very active in our lives, but we don’t recognise it as that. We just think it is the process of living, or choices that we are making. But please believe me – the Holy Spirit is alive and active. We know this because he has already called you to be part of this fellowship. So, be open to him, trust him, love him, be moved and excited by him, and let go of any fear. It is through the Holy Spirit that Jess makes real his promise to be with us to the end of time.

Tomorrow’s vide will take us further along this path, and also start our thinking about the Chaplaincy being 50years old,

Bless you, Bless you, Bless you,

Fr Marcus