This morning’s readings at first glance seem to have little in common with each other but taken as a whole they speak of new life in different forms. We have Joseph meeting his brothers. The same brothers who thought him dead, now have him restored to them but in a very different form to the boy they tried to get rid of. St.Paul is discussing what resurrection is all about and in Luke we have Jesus encouraging his audience to to follow new ways. All in all they echo the resurrection and what it might mean when we use the phrase ‘new life’.

New life means, I think, changing ones ways and following paths closely aligned to the paths of Christ. Doing good to others, being prepared to give others a second chance or turning over a new leaf in one’s own life. All this involves doing things differently or living life in a way that you haven’t done before. That can mean clearing out the things, all the baggage we carry emotionally or the people who drain us rather than give us life. A sort of ‘Spring Clean’ now and again does not hurt us and it can lead us to a mini resurrection, as we discover new pursuits, new relationships, or skills we didn’t know we had. It can also re-vitalise existing friendships and spur us on to achieve those goals we have been putting off. With Lent approaching it is a good time to reflect on one’s life and to have that ‘Spring Clean’ of one’s inner being.