Readings: Exodus 17:1-7; Romans 5:1-11; John 4:5-42
Love is the key to life. Love can change anything and everything. Love is the outward show of God`s inward spirit driving us towards each other, giving life where there is death and despair.

Sometimes the paper can be the source of great wisdom and insight. On Friday there was an article about Bob Geldorf. Now for those you don`t know or remember Bob, he is an Irish pop musician who had a band called the Boomtown Rats in the later 70s, achieving a modicum of success. However he achieved his greatest fame as a belligerent, fearless and frequently foul mouthed charitable activist. He instigated Band Aid and Live AID, which were huge world wide concerts which raised millions of dollars for the poor, and relentlessly campaigned for third world debt relief and other global poverty issues during the 80s and 90s.

Somehow early in the year 2000 he got lost. Burdened by grief at the death of his wife, who left him and then committed suicide, the loss of his father and sister and the ongoing struggles and suffering of people in Africa, he disappeared. As he put it, he was overwhelmed by this amorphous mass of loss and pain.

Well, he has just put out a new album, and seems happier and in a different place emotionally. This is what he said about the woman in his life who helped him through this period and who has been by his side for many years.

`When you are at your most detestable, most ugly, not capable of responding to another person`s emotions, that somebody would stay the course with you tells you there is still something in you that`s lovable. And it turns out that all those crappy corny songs are true. Love is all you need, love is the answer; it`s hugely redemptive and powerful, as we all know, except it took me a long time to get there.`

Maybe we all need to be reminded of this fact. Love is very redemptive. It is characteristic that gives new life, at any time in our life. And when we live in love we live in the spirit, and can begin again.

The reading today focuses on Nicodemus, a Pharisee, a rich aristocrat, a leader and teacher of the Jews. Most of you are probably familiar with the story. In the reading we hear how Nicodemus engages in a conversation with Jesus about belief. And it is not that Nicodemus doesn`t believe, he just believes the wrong way, and so doesn`t get the message of Jesus. Nicodemus believes because Jesus performs miracles, but his faith is superficial and Jesus will have none of it. Jesus makes it clear he is bringing a faith that is deeper than that, a faith in God that leads to a totally new beginning, radically pictured as starting life all over again. This life is life in the spirit of God, a spirit and energy that is everlasting. The fruit of that spirit is love.

As we look again at our world we have to go on believing that the God of love is there, within each of us, calling us to begin again, even when things look grim.

We heard it again just yesterday at Christchurch`s memorial service for those lost and for those grieving. Thousands of people came, joining together to support one another and give hope of a new day. To the crowd Anglican Bishop, Reverend Victoria Matthews said, `Amid all the suffering, love has triumphed. The spirit of God was present when the quake hit and it hasn`t left. Love is stronger than death.`

Amen to that.