1 John 4: 7 – 12
The Weight of a Snowflake – From ‘New Fables, Thus spoke the Marabou’ By Kurt Kauter

“Tell me the weight of a snowflake,” a Robin asked a Wild Dove.

“Nothing more than nothing,” was the answer.

“In that case I must tell you a marvellous story,” the Robin said.

“I sat on the branch of a fir, close to its trunk, when it began to snow, not heavily, not in a raging blizzard: no, just like in a dream, without a sound and without any violence.  Since I did not have anything better to do, I counted the snowflakes settling on the twigs and needles of my branch.  Their number was exactly 3,741,952. When the 3,741,953rd dropped onto the branch – nothing more than nothing, as you say – the branch broke off”.

Having said that, the Robin flew away.

The Dove, since Noah’s time an authority on the matter, thought about the story for a while, and finally said to herself: “Perhaps there is only one person’s voice lacking for peace to come to the world”.

Keep a time of quiet for reflection…..

As followers of Jesus’ Way, we do not need to ask whether or not it is our voice that is necessary to make the difference, but to ask God for the courage to use the voice we have with love and Christian integrity.

To follow Jesus’ way is to follow the path of a peacemaker.  It won’t be an easy path, or an easy peace, but a peace born out of love and compassion for all – neighbour and enemy alike, those afflicted by power, prejudice and injustice – into this we must speak of peace which is shaped by God’s grace and our self-control rather than our self-interest.

Revd Janine Atkinson