Dear Friends
Welcome to the month of July. Known as the hottest month of the year, I wonder whether the recent June temperatures will be exceeded by those of July? We remain grateful for the gift of sunny weather and its impact on our gardens, woods and surroundings.
The are many awareness days celebrated in July. However, one specific Christian celebration caught my attention, “Saint Swithin’s Day”.
Saint Swithin’s Day is celebrated annually on 15th July. It is associated with the legend that if it rains on this day, it will rain for 40 days. The day commemorates the transfer of Saint Swithin’s relics to Winchester Cathedral in 971 AD, which is believed to have triggered a period of rain. The day is also linked to the weather prophecy and is a day of reflection and prayer for the weather and spiritual well-being of the community. Perhaps, the abundance of rain following Saint Swithin’s Day, 15th July, might not be a bad thing for our gardens and crops.
According to the 14th chapter of Acts, the people of Lystra, central Turkey, had concerns whether God was with them. The Apostle Paul and Barnabas responded that “God never leaves them without evidence of Himself and His goodness. For instance, he sends the community rain and good crops and gives them food and joyful hearts.” In the 1st chapter of Romans, the Apostle Paul also wrote that the above evidence in nature leaves people without an excuse for unbelief.
Rain replenishes the earth’s moisture, supports plant and animal life, particularly, the food we grow for consumption, and improves air quality by washing away pollutants. It also has other benefits like helping to reduce stress and anxiety.
Celebrating Saint Swithin’s Day is not just limited to weather expectations. It is also a time to consider spiritual renewal i.e. fresh starts.
Spiritual Renewal is a continuous process of being transformed by the Holy Spirit, starting with recognising our need for God. It involves transformed hearts – aligning heart, mind, and actions with God’s Will. In the beautiful words of Jabez, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain” (4th chapter of 1st Chronicles). We then read: “God granted Jabez’s request”, demonstrating the power of faithful, heartfelt prayer.
It takes time to reach the high point of faithful and heartfelt prayer. However, lifting the ‘Theology’ veil around commemoration of Saint Swithin’s day draws us into a deeper meaningful understanding of the narrative’s subtext. There are many beautiful Bible references around abundant rain, but the positive outcomes of good crops, food and joyful hearts are too attractive to ignore i.e. God’s is our Provider. God’s provisions also leads us into spiritual refreshment, cleansing and His outpouring in our church community.
In the 12th chapter of Romans, the Apostle Paul counsels around mental renewal, urging believers not to conform to the patterns of this world but be transformed by the renewing of their minds. This renewal is the ongoing journey for Christians, requiring discipline and reliance on the Holy Spirit.
The American Evangelist, Billy Graham, welcomes spiritual renewal with these words of wisdom. “When we come to Christ, the Holy Spirit takes up residence in our hearts. Something new is added to our life supernaturally. We are transformed by the renewing of our mind. A new power, a new dimension, a new ability to love, a new joy, a new peace – the Holy Spirit comes in and lives the Christian life through us.” Amen. Amen!
Stay blessed during July and do look out for Saint Swithin’s Day.
Reverend Rickey Simpson-Gray
Parish of Wokingham St Sebastian’s
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A prayer for sharing during July
Almighty God,
to whose glory we celebrate July,
we thank you for the abundance of
rain, sunshine, food, crops and joyful hearts
in commemoration of Saint Swithin’s Day.
We pray that all who seek you will find
spiritual renewal and cleansing,
and refreshing of the Holy Spirit,
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.