[Friday's Devotional] - Villa Borghese

Villa Borghese Rome is a noisy, busy city. Somehow in the heat it seems to get busier and nosier.  Just up the road from the Spanish Steps, a sharp climb up a steep hill, leads you to this beautiful spot. Lucie and I love this "little" corner of Rome.  Whilst this is not a travelogue, I do recommend, if you are in Rome, and you have time, you make your way here. Covered with trees and on top of one of the 7 hills, it has wonderful views of the city.  But more than that, it's a haven.  Surrounded by the trees, the temperature drops a few degrees, the air becomes cleaner and lighter, and the sounds of the city seem distant and elusive. We all need refuge form the busy-ness of life. I certainly do. My life is stressed, normally due to work, I try to put impossible standards on myself and then stress and beat myself up when I don't match my own expectations. We need time to relax, to refresh, to absorb and digest everything that gets thrown at us on a daily basis.  If we don't recharge then we can get snowed under. Just as the Vila Borghese is a refuge of solitude in a busy hectic Rome, Church and God should be your refuge from the busy and hectic day-to-day life. God wants us to rest in him, to rest not from the week just gone, but to rest in him for the week ahead.  To rest in him when you are weary and life has trodden you down.  It's difficult, I know I'm far from perfect at it.  I always find an excuse to skip Church or not pray or read my Bible.  There are a million other things to do and get done...but we need rest.  We need peace. We have just finished Lent and several years ago, instead of giving something up for 40 days, I added something to my day.  Every lunchtime I would go and find a very quiet spot, either in a garden or in an empty office, pull out a little pocket Bible and flip to a page and read 10 verses.  Then pray and reflect. It was wonderful and I felt myself being a calmer person.  Do I still do it now?  Sometimes.  Do I wish I could do it more?…Yes.  Should I?  Most definitely. Try it, you might like it, it will definitely bring you closer to God: God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.  Psalm 46: 1-3 [NIV] Steve Fogo   Twitter Website Copyright © 2017 St. Matthew & St. Oswald's Church, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email as a subscriber to the Daily Devotionals Our mailing address is: St. Matthew & St. Oswald's Church 1a New Street Rugby, Warwickshire CV22 7BE United Kingdom Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list Want to be added to our mailing list? - sign up here!

[Thursday's Devotional] - The Trevi Fountain

The Trevi Fountain When I met Lucie, I asked her if she wanted to go to Rome with me and she said that because of the connection with my ex-wife she didn't feel she could go. I hatched a plan.  I knew my friend from America was coming over for a couple of weeks and I asked him if he wanted to go to Rome, he agreed and Lucie reluctantly said OK. On our first evening we said good night to Chuck and I said to Lucie as it was such a beautiful evening we should take a walk - I pretended it was all last minute.  I knew exactly where I was going. We wondered through the back streets of Rome until we came to the Piazza which holds the Trevi Fountain. We sat in the cooling late evening, eating ice cream, watching the world go by and I then reached into my pocket, pulled out a ring and asked her to marry me. Thankfully she said yes. The reason I mention this story is single-fold.               One, there are always second chances in life.  Just like our relationship with Jesus, we can always turn back to him, regardless of what we have done.  I felt like I would never find happiness again after the breakup of my first marriage, Lucie showed me otherwise. At the time I was just beginning my first steps back into the Church. A friend of mine had convinced me to come back to Church. When I look at the Trevi Fountain, I'm reminded of these two moments in my life as they occurred very closely together.  A new relationship with Lucie and a brand new shiny relationship with God. I have talked a lot about my decade in the wilderness, there are former youth group members who will remember my personal story detailing the journey back from darkness.  I always considered myself a fraud with my faith though. I didn't quite get it. I spoke to my friend about this and he pointed me in the direction of the Parable of the Lost Son. (Luke 15:11-32) Luke describes how a younger son squanders his inheritance on the high life, without care and ends up poor and destitute. He finally can take no more and returns home to this father, begs for forgiveness and it is duly offered.  In fact, his Father is so delighted he throws the best party to celebrate. Regardless of how lost you get, how far you stray from your path, how many of your gifts you squander.  Never forget, even in the darkest of times Your Father is looking out for you and when you turn back, a glorious welcome awaits. Steve Fogo   Twitter Website Copyright © 2017 St. Matthew & St. Oswald's Church, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email as a subscriber to the Daily Devotionals Our mailing address is: St. Matthew & St. Oswald's Church 1a New Street Rugby, Warwickshire CV22 7BE United Kingdom Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list Want to be added to our mailing list? - sign up here!

[Wednesday's Devotional] - The Roman Forum & Coliseum

The Roman Forum & Coliseum I think if you ask my children what they most wanted to see in Rome, this was it. Both of them have studied Romans in history in school and I'm still amazed when I walk through Rome that one moment you are looking at something built in the 18th Century, then walk 10 minutes and there is something from the 3rd Century BC I'm amazed that something so old has survived the ravages of time, earthquakes, looting. We know lots of stories of how Christians died for their belief in the "theatre" of the Coliseum. When I look down on the now floorless base of the building, I try to imagine what it would have been like to stand there, facing gladiators or wild animals, knowing that just for who I believe in I'm going to die, or barely live only to fight and die another day. In places like this, I like to try and think what I would do. It's a very quick decision. I have no, believe me, zero tolerance for pain, and I know beyond doubt and to my everlasting shame, that I would have done everything to avoid being in that place of death in the first place. It's the same feeling I get when I sing the verse from the Worship song – How deep is the Fathers love for us – Behold the Man upon a cross, My sin upon His shoulders Ashamed I hear my mocking voice, Call out among the scoffers I know, I would call out. The voice of the crowd is powerful. Peter knew this. Luke 22:54-62 describes the whole scene, however it's the sudden realisation And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, "Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times."  And he went out and wept bitterly Luke 22-61 & 62 [NIV]  I think it's a difficult world to proclaim our love of Jesus. It's hard in today's world. And If Peter failed, Jesus knows we are going to struggle too. But when you feel that shame, when you feel that doubt. Think what Peter did with his life after this moment. How many did he bring to Jesus, by proclaiming his word? So don't give up hope, there is no Gladiators on Rugby high street ready to cut you down to the baying crowds, although Asda on a Saturday morning comes very close... Steve Fogo Twitter Website Copyright © 2017 St. Matthew & St. Oswald's Church, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email as a subscriber to the Daily Devotionals Our mailing address is: St. Matthew & St. Oswald's Church 1a New Street Rugby, Warwickshire CV22 7BE United Kingdom Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list Want to be added to our mailing list? - sign up here!

[Tuesday's Devotional] - The Pieta

The Pieta I remember the very first time I say Michelangelo's Pieta- The Pity.  I was on my first trip to Rome and I desperately wanted to see this piece of art.  I had heard so much of it from my Grandmother who had seen it many years before. To say it took my breath away is an understatement.  At some point my system kicked in and I took a huge inward breath. It is a stunning beautiful depiction of the dead Jesus in the arms of him mother. What you have to understand is this was carved out of marble in 1498-1499. The surface of the marble is so smooth you can almost see your reflection back from the marble. Whenever I return to Rome, I try and get to see it one more time, just to gaze upon it. It is truly a work of art in all its context. Every time I see it I am moved to envisage the scene just after the death of Christ.  I feel his mother weeping in sorrow and his friends standing around looking lost and not sure what to do next.  I feel the hopelessness of their actions.  A wonderful human, gone with it all the hope of the world. Of course we all know the story does not end there.  Jesus conquers death and rises to glory, and his death and resurrection is payment for our sins and the sins of our forefathers and our children. That is why The Pieta is so beautiful, to me at least, because it reminds me of the immediate sorrow at the loss of something truly wonderful for my wrongdoing.  It reminds me that I can be a better person and live a life closer to the Truth, and that his death whilst sad, in all His glory, he rose from the tomb on the third day and he did this all for me! To forgive me. It seems unfathomable. But as the scriptures say: He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.  Romans 4: 25 [NIV] Steve Fogo   Twitter Website Copyright © 2017 St. Matthew & St. Oswald's Church, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email as a subscriber to the Daily Devotionals Our mailing address is: St. Matthew & St. Oswald's Church 1a New Street Rugby, Warwickshire CV22 7BE United Kingdom Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list Want to be added to our mailing list? - sign up here!

[Monday's Devotional] - St. Peter’s Basilica

St. Peter's Basilica As I write this, our family has just come back from 3 glorious days in Rome.  Apart from the crowds (Easter Weekend!) the queues, the street vendors and the constant pleading from my children for more Ice cream…it was a wonderful sunny 3 days of soaking up the culture and artefacts of Rome. As we were on a tight schedule, we planned the trip to avoid major events that would mean fighting with crowds.  Our first stop once we had dropped off our bags was St Peters Basilica. The largest Church in the world. Lucie and I have been to Rome twice before, but this was our first time as a family.  We couldn't get into the Basilica due to a Maundy Service, but the square outside was pretty empty and the children enjoyed the peace. I'm always fascinated by churches.  St Peter's is extravagant to the very excess.  Painted ceilings, multi-million pound artworks, gold leaf everywhere and architecture that just simply blows you away. Every time I visit these types of church I'm astonished at how much money has been spent and needs to be spent on the building and the upkeep. What would Jesus say: Every time I walk into a huge building dedicated to God, I am reminded of a sermon I once preached on the idea of Jesus tuning up with his 12 followers and trying to get into one of his own churches? I'm convinced (in my own head anyway) that he wouldn't be on a donkey, but maybe running around on a Vespa.  What would be the reaction of the Church elders if he drove into the Square, took of his helmet and walked up to the church steps in leather jacket and sunglasses? Would I let him in?  Would you?  Scruffy looking, dirty, tired, looking for food and shelter in his Father's name! I like to think I would, I like to think I would not go with the crowd and I would let him in. Then the following passage drifts into my head. Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back--whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn.  Mark 13-35 [NIV] A warning perhaps, to invite all who come to our doors - regardless of gender, economic privilege, sexual orientation or just if you look scruffy or not, because as Jesus also reminds us: The King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.  Matthew 25-40 [NIV] Steve Fogo   Twitter Website Copyright © 2017 St. Matthew & St. Oswald's Church, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email as a subscriber to the Daily Devotionals Our mailing address is: St. Matthew & St. Oswald's Church 1a New Street Rugby, Warwickshire CV22 7BE United Kingdom Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list Want to be added to our mailing list? - sign up here!