“Why did Mary stay behind? “ This morning’s BRF Guidelines features John’s account of the resurrection. (I’m a few days ahead). A familiar passage which I have read numerous times, no doubt inspiring more than a few sermons. And yet the Holy Spirit continues to open up new angles, even fresh meanings from such familiar readings from scripture. As always the temptation is to think that such familiarity means that somehow we have exhausted its meaning. In fact, I recall

“If in doubt, burst into tears!” Of course, not for all situations, especially if you are being goaded – but often it takes tears to show how much we are hurting. And often people need to know. It was vicar-evangelist David Watson who taught me this some 40 years ago. His church in York was leading the way in charismatic renewal as well as large-scale evangelism. He was a key player for the Kingdom until cancer took him in 1984, as it happens my first Sunday as a vicar