Dean John writes…

In times gone by it would have been usual this Sunday for a great procession to go round the boundaries of each parish (beating the bounds) praying and asking for God’s blessing on the growth of the crops.

The sixth Sunday of Easter and the last Sunday before Ascension Day, this Sunday is Rogation Sunday; its name comes from the Latin word rogare which means ‘to ask’.

In a year when much of our farmland has been saturated due to excessive rain, we might think that there is a contemporary need to resurrect this ancient tradition. Sadly, there will be some land in which seed will not be sown. Flooded fields have also caused significant problems for those with livestock. Drawing on the wisdom of our forebears, who in their rogation walks and prayers showed they were not taking the provision of food for granted, we do well to ask for God’s blessing on the land and upon the efforts of those skilled people who work hard to provide (our daily bread).

Nowadays, where Rogation Sunday is observed, it tends to prompt prayers for the health and wellbeing of the whole community, this too has got to be a good thing. As a cathedral we are bound to pray for the life of the city in which we are set; in this respect we might particularly want to reflect on Sunday’s gospel reading. Jesus said, ‘This is my commandment that you love one another as I have loved you.’ So as Jesus prays for his church to be a strong loving community (and we are fortunate in this respect at Ripon Cathedral), we also pray for the building up of a strong, caring and mutually supportive community within the city.

Being a cathedral, we are not here just for our city, but for the whole vast Diocese of Leeds, which it is our privilege to serve with our two sister cathedrals in Wakefield and Bradford. So on Rogation Sunday, we pray for the life and vitality of local parish churches and for the health and wellbeing of the communities they serve, as well as the regional community.

Please, do note that next Thursday is Ascension Day – a great feast day when, at our Festal Eucharist at 5.30pm, we celebrate the risen Christ being taken up into heaven, making way for the opportunity for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. The festive spirit will be sustained following the service on May 9 with a celebratory glass of wine. Please do join us to keep what is a significant day in the Church’s calendar.

There is another great opportunity for celebration on Sunday May 12, at 3.30pm, with the Rivers of Life service to be held in the cathedral. This will bring people together from across the diocese to praise God for the rural dimensions of this region’s life. Rural communities, businesses, charities and farming will be represented, giving us an opportunity to thank God for them. The singing of the congregation will be led by a large choir, including the cathedral choir, and the celebration is continued afterwards in true party style with tea and cake. Please do join us.

With every blessing

Dean John