What can we say? We see terrorism and slaughter all around us, in Palestine and Israel. The war in Ukraine continues. There’s a meltdown in politics in the USA. There are unreported conflicts everywhere  – Sudan, Angola, Myanmar… And here we are, somewhere on the edge, in a (relatively) safe country with (comparatively) constructive politics… what can we possibly say or do?  I hear the grief, the anger, the passion, the compassion;  I read it in the church’s WhatsApp chat, I speak to people on their way to demonstrate in support of Israel or Palestine, but it all feels very away, doesn’t it, and whatever we can do feels tiny.

It’s appropriate that this famous reading, from Matthew 22, is chosen for today: give to Caesar that which is Caesar’s, to God, that which is God’s. It’s often seen as Jesus’ clever answer to the Pharisees, which gets him off the hook upon which they are trying to impale him – and of course it is. But what’s interesting to me, underneath, is that Jesus is actually agreeing with the Pharisees – he’s saying, let civil society take its course, yes, pay taxes to the Emperor – but at the same time, don’t neglect your relationship with God. He’s saying that we should of course be part of the world we find ourselves in, playing our full part, engaging, voting, demonstrating, trying to change things – but at the heart of it all is our relationship with God.

I find that helpful. For two reasons – first, because it doesn’t undermine the importance of doing what we can, speaking where we can, acting where we can – but, even more importantly, it makes it vital that we nourish and nurture our relationship with God. Put both together, and the phrase which has been constantly coming to mind this week is ‘this corner of the vineyard.’

We are here, in London, in Waterloo. This is our corner of the vineyard, and it’s here that we have a responsibility to work and to build, to plant and to prune. It feels to me that, even while the numerous crises we face in the world combine, our calling is to be, here, a corner of the vineyard, a corner of the Reign of God. So we are right to call for justice, to stand against war crimes, to mourn the dead, to work for peace … and we are also right to nourish ourselves and our communities. To give to the world that which is the world’s, and to give to God that which is God’s.

So what does that look like?

We are in the middle of our season on Exploring Spirit. It’s going well, so far. I know that Breathe, on Monday evenings at 6, is very welcome and providing lots of depth. Can I Live, the film last Thursday, was amazing – marking Black History Month with a passionate call for action from Fehinti Balogun – this afternoon we have a reconstruction of Martin Luther King’s Christmas Sermon – it’s really bringing together the Spirit of Justice and the Spirit of Creation.

There is a third – or first – strand – Nourishing Spirit. We had a very good Quiet Day at the beginning of this season, led by Nicola, and it was great to see so many people there. It was called Growing Well – and we had, there, the opportunity to reflect on the structures of our spiritual lives.

I think that’s crucial. Give to Caesar that which is Caesar’s and to God that which is God’s. I think we need to be sure, in this time of crisis, that we nourish our spiritual lives, that we build our communities of support, that we create safe places where we can be seen, heard and where we can both receive and offer God’s love to the world.

One really helpful way to do this is by creating and following a Rule of Life – which is what the Quiet Day, Growing Well, was essentially about.

What is a Rule of Life – or some people call it a Rhythm of Life?

We are drawing on the wisdom of St Benedict, St Anthony, St Theresa and many others who have wrestled with questions such as: how do I, in the midst of my daily life, live a life which is meaningful and holy? How does my faith change my life? What must I do to enter the Kingdom of God, and how do I help others along the narrow way of holiness?

People’s Rules of Life are often based on the Rule of St Benedict, which was written in the 5th century.  Benedict’s genius was expressed in the way the Rule combines prayer, study, work, sleep and communal living. He carefully balanced the spiritual, physical and emotional aspects of life ‘so that, in all things, God might be glorified’.  He called for moderation in all things, and above all he grounded everything in prayer.  Money, people, things, worship, reading, reflection, silence…  it’s about nourishment, and keeping our relationships in good repair. A rule of life is not meant to be a burden, but an aid!

So how do we put together a Rule? I would encourage you to start small, and be gentle with yourself – acknowledge your limits and capabilities, and remember that God knows every inch of you!  Maybe explore your longings – think about what you would really, deeply like to do, and who you are really, deeply, being called to be – and then, if helpful, you may want to fill in our Rule of Life form 2023 which can be downloaded here.

If you wish to, you can share your thoughts with someone experienced in developing a Rule of Life and offering spiritual support – one of the clergy, or Nicola Smedley.

At the back of your mind may be some questions –

What in my life needs TLC to flourish?
How am I getting to know God?

How might I nourish my signficant relationships?

What do I need to support my health and wellbeing?

How can I respond to the urgent needs facing the world?

Am I using my money well?

And what might be standing in the way – what is stopping me from unlocking my spiritual potential?

If we nourish our spiritual lives we can nourish others’ – and we can live out the lives which we are called to live. As individuals and as a congregation.

To mark that sense of working alongside one another, we will be inviting you to renew or commit your Rule of Life-  if you develop one – on Advent Sunday, 3rd December, which is the first Sunday of the Christian year.

Give to Caesar that which is Caesar’s … to God that which is God – and that way both will flourish, both will be effective.

Here is a poem, which Nicola offered during the Quiet Day recently:

Fruit-Gathering XVIII, By Rabindranath Tagore

No: it is not yours to open buds into blossoms.
Shake the bud, strike it; it is beyond your power to make it blossom.
Your touch soils it, you tear its petals to pieces and strew them in the dust.
But no colours appear, and no perfume.
Ah! it is not for you to open the bud into a blossom.
He who can open the bud does it so simply.
He gives it a glance, and the life-sap stirs through its veins.
At his breath the flower spreads its wings and flutters in the wind.
Colours flush out like heart-longings, the perfume betrays a sweet secret.
He who can open the bud does it so simply.