Faith

Listen to the Bishop of Reading's blog here or read a transcript below:

"These awful floods bring out the best and worst in people.

As well as seeing it first hand what torrential rain can do. Homes in the village where I live have been flooded, I visited Bucklebury earlier this week where the river Pang has also burst its bank. The church itself was under 19 inches of water last Saturday. I visited one family where they were away at the time, and the waters had rampaged through their house, devastating everything.

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Watch a BBC South Today video featuring the Bishop of Reading at Bucklebury:

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"Yet their good humour, resilience, determination not to be neaten, offers of help to their neighbours was really inspiring.

"People in the village were already starting a collection for them.

"This is the good side of what came out of the floods.

"But I also heard stories of looting, stories of vandalism, and in the news this week, there have been both inspiring stories of bravery and ghastly stories of greed.

"Jesus tells us a story about houses built on sand or rock.

"It is only when the floods come that the secure house is revealed. Until that point they look the same.

"Jesus isn't talking about being insured or uninsured, or even about flood defences. Though goodness knows we need to improve our provision and wake up to the damaging escalation in climate change that our taking the environment for granted is causing.

"He is talking about us. Our response to what life puts in front of us.

"You can take everything away from a human being but what you can't take away is our freedom to choose how we respond.

"I have been overwhelmed by the goodness of some people's response. Their selflessness, their charity, but I've been deeply depressed by the response of others.

"But these floods do give each of us a chance to respond well to make those changes that can lessen such damage in the future and restore balance to the earth.

"To live with a greater determination to make our world a better and safer place. The church has been responding by offering practical help in our communities.

"This week the Bishop of Oxford has set up the Diocese Of Oxford Flood Appeal and this is available to communities right across Berkshire. Details can be found on the Diocese of Oxford website.

"There is also a Red Cross Appeal and a Thatcham Relief Appeal.

"We can respond by giving generously.

"Build the house of your life on solid rock."