The sight of the glorious moon in our skies over the last few days has filled us with a sense of awe and wonder at the beauty of God’s creation. Even if you didn’t manage to get up at 3am to see the eclipse, we have been privileged to see some stunning night skies. Driving back from Denbigh last night it felt almost as if I was going to drive into the moon it was so low and so large, yet stunningly beautiful.
Although we won’t see its like again until 2033, it is amazing to think that people down the generations have witnessed this same sight, and experienced the same sense of awe and wonder. The writers of both the Old Testament and the early Church use this very image. “The sun will be turned into darkness and the moon to blood” Acts 2:20. The people of bible times may not have understood the science of a blood moon but they knew it was an awesome event.
The Book of Acts, from which this verse is taken, immediately follows the four gospels. It speaks literally of the Acts (actions) of the Apostles, the life of the early church after Jesus had ascended back to heaven. Scholars believe the Book of Acts was written by the Gospel writer Luke because it exactly matches the style of writing found in Luke’s Gospel.
On the 18th October the Church celebrates the Feast of St Luke the Evangelist. Luke has been identified as "Luke, the beloved physician" described in Paul’s letter to the Colossians. He is the patron saint of Physicians and Surgeons. St Luke is associated with the ministry of healing and often a special healing service is held on his feast day. For all of us healing and wholeness come in many different forms. Healing of a physical ailment is a very visible form of healing but inner healing brings the peace of Christ which is beyond our understanding. Every Eucharist service is a service of healing, but at a Healing Service there is a particular focus on the healing power of Jesus.
For our group of Parishes a Healing Service will take place on the 18th October at 5pm in Llangwyfan Church. This will be a gentle Eucharist service, with prayers and hymns for healing, both for ourselves and for those known to us in need of God’s healing touch at this time. A warm welcome to all.
