8 Hours a week Monday to Thursday rising to 20 hours Monday to Friday at some point in 2025.Call Jules 07857 946576
Reflection for Friday 28 March by the Rev'd Hilary KempMark 12.28-34 The Greatest Commandment 28 One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” 29 “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.[a] 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’[b] 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’[c] There is no commandment greater than these.” 32 “Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. 33 To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbour as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” 34 When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions. (NIV) Reflection There are some extremely familiar words in this passage. Throughout the season of Lent we have used these words to introduce our prayers of penitence during each service of Holy Communion: Our Lord Jesus Christ said: The first commandment is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is the only Lord. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself’. There is no other commandment greater than these. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. Perhaps they are words that are so familiar that we hear them without pausing to reflect and think about what they really mean. How often do we stop to think whether our words and actions represent and embody comprehensive love of God and neighbour? There is a quote from the writings of Saint Augustine which is pertinent to this: “Whoever, therefore, thinks that he [or she!] understands the divine scriptures, or any part of them, so that it does not build on the double love of God and of our neighbour, does not understand it at all.” So, this double love of God and neighbour, can be used as a measure or a standard to check both our interpretation and understanding of the Bible and our words and actions. Perhaps we could spend some time at the end of each day reflecting on the events of the day and our reactions to situations we have found ourselves in, applying this measure and shining the light of Jesus’ example of love of God and neighbour on our own behaviour – both outward and inward. I am sure we all have much to learn about what it means to truly love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and to love our neighbours as ourselves. Collect Eternal God, give us insight to discern your will for us, to give up what harms us, and to seek the perfection we are promised in Jesus Christ our Lord. Common Worship: Collects and Post Communions, material from which is included here, is copyright © The Archbishops' Council 2000
Monday evenings 6:15pm-8:00pm at Holy Trinity Hall Westward Ho! Supper served with tea & coffee Starting 3rd March! For more information call Rev Jules on 07857 946576
