Then Jesus answered her, ‘Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.’ And her daughter was healed instantly. Matthew 15 : 28

Readings this week :

Isaiah 56 ,: 1, 6 – 8; Romans 11 : 1 – 2a, 29 – 32; Matthew 15 : 10 - 28

Thought for the week :

Jesus’ ministry was full of miracles. Times when people came to Him in great need, and He answered with healing, forgiveness, new hope, and a new beginning. Wonderful times that draw us into faith today and to believe this is Jesus in our world and our lives today.

Yet I wonder if the greatest miracle is Jesus’ work in transforming the human heart. In our Gospel reading Jesus speaks of all that comes from our heart that has the potential to defile, disrupt, even destroy.

Yet Jesus brings hope for each of us. By even the smallest amount of faith, the Lord can work wonders, if we will let Him. If we open ourselves to His work of healing, forgiveness and new life. Transforming our coldness, our hardness, our self – will, our self – centredness.

Albert Einstein said, “It is harder to crack prejudice than an atom”. Yet with the Lord all things are possible. We can each experience the miracle of all that Jesus longs to do in our hearts, in our relationship with Him, in surrendering ourselves to His love and letting the Holy Spirit work in us.

We can each be people that bring Jesus’ Light and love. With even a little faith, Jesus can change the world.

Rev Paul

Prayer for this week

God our rock and our salvation
so much of faith is waiting
like a pregnant woman waiting in hope
like a people under siege, holding out till relief comes
like the soul lost in the darkness,
unable to see even a glimmer of light
yet stumbling through the night because somewhere out ahead,
day will surely break
God be with us in our waiting

Living God, keep us awake in faith,
faith that acts;
when our faith grows weary,

strengthen us
when our faith grows fearful,

give us courage
when our faith grows despairing,

give us witnesses
and when the faith of others falters,
may we be a light in their darkness.

— posted on the Christian Aid website.

People to pray for :

Youngsters receiving their exam results

Those waiting for hope in their lives