The Feast of Christ the King Readings: Daniel 7v9-10&13-14; Psalm 93; Revelation 1v4b-8; John 18v33-37 Let us pray: May the words of my mouth and the thoughts and meditations of all our hearts be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our strength and our redeemer. A Word : Today is the last Sunday of the Christian year when we focus on Jesus’ return, as the King of all at the end of time. The psalm tells us that the one who is king forever is both the Lord on high and is one who is full of might and strength and holiness. Revelations tells us that Jesus Christ is the ruler of the kings of the earth who all the tribes of earth will see was pierced for us when he comes again with the clouds. For as this book tells us, Jesus is: the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last, the one who was and is and is to come, the Almighty, the living God. Daniel foretold this in the description of an everlasting kingship that can never be destroyed ruling over all peoples and nations of every language being given to one like a human by the Ancient One. Daniel describes this as taking place in the presence of the thousands and thousands serving the Ancient One at the time of final judgement when the books are opened for our lives to be judged.Today, as we give thanks that Jesus came to do everything for us that we cannot do for ourselves, we can keep in mind that Christ is a King like no other. For we have a King who rolled up his sleeves, stepped down from his glory in heaven and came to earth to show us the way to heaven. For Jesus is a king who when questioned by the Roman Governor Pontius Pilate declared that his kingdom was not from this world. For he was born and came into the world he created to bear witness to the truth that everyone who belongs to the truth will listen to his voice. For, if we but follow as Jesus calls, the truth will set us free from sin and we shall find ourselves in the book of life when we are called into the time of judgement. So today as we celebrate the last Sunday of the Church year, we are pointed to Jesus, the one and only and forever king of all people, and time and places – Christ the King. A king who became like us so we could strive to become more like him. Let us pray: Lord grant to each one of us: the ears of disciples; the eyes of apostles; the tongues of prophets; the feet of servants; the grace to see you at work in the world; and to hear your call to us; then help us to live our lives in accordance with your word and calling. Amen. (Saint Ignatius of Loyola)
2nd Sunday before Advent Readings: Daniel 12v1-3; Psalm 16; Hebrews 10v11-25; Mark13v1-8. Let us pray: May the words of my mouth, and the thoughts and meditations of all our hearts, be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our strength and our redeemer. A Word: At this time of year, as the Church year draws to its close, the readings point us to consider the 4 last things that we are called to prepare for as we live out our lives as Christians. The first of these last things is: Jesus' return at the time of the 2nd coming. ln the gospel of Mark we hear Jesus telling his disciples that in the time before the end of all things there will be famines as well as nations and kingdoms rising up against each other. ln Daniel, we hear that when the end is coming, the great archangel Michael shall arise because the end times will be a time of great anguish for the world. The second of the last 4 things is: the final judgement; a time that will occur after Jesus returns. ln Daniel, we hear that for the final judgement: those who are sleeping in the dust of the earth shall be awakened to face judgement. When we come to judgement, the letter to the Hebrews tells us that we can have confidence because Jesus offered himself as a sacrifice for sins for ever. A promise that means that no-one is beyond hope and that everyone can be forgiven. This gift of forgiveness is really important because after the final judgement comes the third and fourth of the last things. These are whether we are invited into heaven or sent into hell. Daniel describes these places in this way: heaven is being sent into everlasting life; and hell is being sent away in shame to everlasting contempt. So, who will go to heaven and who will go to hell? Daniel tells of a book of life in which everyone who is named in it will be delivered and sent to heaven. The psalm tells us about faithful people whose souls will be shown the path of life, a path that will take them into the presence of the Lord, a place where they will be full of joy, in the hand of God, for evermore. However, the psalm also describes the hell that the faithful will be saved from in the words that the faithful people will not be abandoned to the pit of death. As a Christian, these 4 last things are things we are waiting for and should not be afraid of. For, in Hebrews we hear that Jesus has opened up a new life for everyone washed clean by Jesus' sacrifice, becoming a people that Jesus will find named in the Book of Life, his faithful people, a people living for God who have been washed clean and made fit to be sent into everlasting life, a place where everyone who gets there will be full of joy. in the hand of God, for evermore. Let us pray: Heavenly Father, gracious Lord, we thank you for Jesus who came to earth to destroy the works of the devil and transform us so we become the children of God and heirs of eternal life. Lord we pray that you will make us more like Jesus, so that when he comes in power and glory, we will be brought to the fullness of life for which we long; and also bring others with us into your kingdom. Amen Thank you for joining us today
View this service at https://youtu.be/CYeRqBQNb1QIntroduction: As we commemorate and recall all who died in wars - we give thanks for the sounds of war falling silent.Let us pray: Lord, as we remember, we call to mind our need of your God’s forgiveness – Lord have mercy. Cast out our sin of dominating others - Christ have mercy. Heal us from the desires that leads us into conflict with others and cause war between nations. Lord have mercy.Reading from Micah 4 v1-4 (NRSV): In days to come the mountain of the LORD’s house shall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be raised up above the hills. Peoples shall stream to it, and many nations shall come and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. He shall judge between many peoples, and shall arbitrate between strong nations far away; they shall beat their swords into plough shares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore; but they shall all sit under their own vines and under their own fig trees, and no one shall make them afraid; for the mouth of the LORD of hosts has spoken.Reflection: This reading tells us that God promises that one day there will be a time of enduring peace. A peace that lasts forever. I hope for that time on earth and believe that time will be in heaven.Today we Remember: We remember the men, women and children who gave their lives to restrain evil and oppose tyranny. Lord, we give you thanks for the sacrifices of people who give their lives that others may live and amongst them we remember those who serve in the army, navy and airforce. We remember all those hurt and maimed. Bless them dear Lord.Thanksgiving prayer: We give you thanks for times of peace. We give you thanks for all who help, encourage and comfort others. We give you thanks for all who work for the relief of the needy. We give you thanks for all who work for peace and the welfare of all nations.Offering of ourselves: Lord, we offer ourselves to you, to serve you: in the cause of peace, for the relief of suffering and for praise of your name. Teach us the ways of peace and the ways of hope. Guide us by your Spirit, lend us your wisdom, give to us courage and keep us faithful now and in the years to come. Amen.Lord’s prayer: Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.Prayer of Blessing: God grant to the living, grace; to the departed, rest; to the Church, the King, the Commonwealth and all people, your gift of peace and concord; and to us and all your servants, life everlasting; and the blessing of God almighty, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, come down upon us and remain with us always.
All Saints Day – year BReadings: Wisdom 3v1-9; Psalm 24v1-6; Revelation 21v1-6b; John 11v32-44.Let us pray: May the words of my mouth, and the thoughts and meditations of all our hearts, be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our strength and our redeemer.A Word: In the gospel of John, we learn that Jesus’ friend Lazarus has died. We also hear that Jesus’ spirit was greatly disturbed, deeply moved and that Jesus cried. After this, Jesus went to the tomb, demanded that the tomb be opened and prayed to his Father before Jesus called Lazarus back to life and returned him to his sisters. Raising people back to life is an astounding miracle that occurs from time to time throughout the scriptures. However the raising of Lazarus is even more astounding because those of the Jewish faith believed that whilst the soul hovered by the body for a short while after death occurred that as Lazarus had been dead for 4 days his soul was gone.This raises a question - where had Lazarus' soul gone. For reply, in Jesus’ time, some Jewish people believed in an afterlife, whilst others who were just as devout believed that once we die we are gone. This is the place that we hear about in the Book of the Revelation of St John the Divine. It is a place described as a new heaven and earth where there is a Holy City sent by God to receive God’s people. A city where God lives alongside his people. A city where there is no more death, no more mourning, no more pain and no more crying. A city where all things are made new. But who will be accepted into the Holy City? For reply, we hear in the reading from the Wisdom of Solomon that the souls of those who have died and are considered righteous by God are now: at peace, in the hand of God, immortal and holy. Solomon describes this righteousness as: trusting in God, faithfully sticking close to God, letting God rule over us; a people who will receive God’s clemency and mercifulness. In an echo of this, Psalm 24 tells us that those who dedicate themselves to seeking the one true God are the people that God considers as holy. For these are a people blessed by the Lord. A people who shall ascend the holy hill of the Lord. A people who will receive salvation. As Christians we believe that this City is where the saints, the great cloud of witnesses are destined for in the afterlife. A people drawn from a multitude of backgrounds. A people made righteous by God because his son Jesus died for them. A people just like you and me, a people like those we meet day by day, a people of many nationalities and faiths. All of the people seeking to find and serve the one true God. For all these are God’s holy ones, God’s saints in the making. A people God counts as righteous for the sake of his Son.Today we give thanks for all of the Saints who have influenced us in our lives. Those who have pointed us to God, those who have walked with us on our journey to find the one true God, those who have helped us stick close to the creator of all things. For these are God’s holy people, his righteous ones, his chosen ones, his elect, the people who really are the saints.Let us pray: Almighty God, the source of all holiness, the one who gathers your elect into one fellowship, grant us the grace we need to follow in the footsteps of your saints. Teach us how to truly love you and lead our lives for you, so that when our lives end here in earth, we may be welcomed into your heavenly feast on the day your Kingdom comes. AmenThank you for joining us.
