The Archbishop has requested that we ring the bell every day at noon and say this Angelus prayer together
Angelus
God Bless the world
Give it wisdom at this time
Grant us relief and release
Be with those who are ill
And bless the carers fighting this pandemic
For Jesus Christ sake.
Amen
Readings for today
Eucharist
Acts 14:19-27
Psalm 145:10-13, 21
John 14:27-31a
Morning Prayer
Psalm 106:25-50
Leviticus 16: 20-34
1 Thessalonians 5: 1-11
Evening Prayer
Psalms 107: 1-22
Wisdom 10: 1-4 (5-12) 13-21
Matthew 6: 7-15
Reflection Forty Seventh Day National Lockdown Tuesday 12 May 2020
Acts 14:19-27 Psalm 145:10-13, 21 John 14:27-31a
Good day dear friends,
We come today to the final description of Paul and Barnabas’ first missionary journey.
Yesterday we left them at Lystra in the awkward situation of being taken for gods because of the cure of a paralysed man. Their glory was short-lived; their enemies were on their tail.
Those Jews whose hostility they had experienced in the towns of Antioch and Iconium turned up and successfully stirred up the feelings of the people of Lystra against the two apostles. Reflecting the unpredictability of crowds, the people who were treating the apostles as gods had Paul stoned, leaving him for dead. But Paul was what we would call a “tough cookie” and, as soon as his disciples gathered around him, he was back on his feet again. With the courage that so often marks his actions, Paul went back into the town but moved on to Derbe the next day with Barnabas and they proclaimed the Gospel and made “a considerable number of disciples”. Then they began their return journey going through each of the towns they had originally evangelised and in which they had met such violent resistance. They made many Christian converts among both Jews and Gentiles and these became the seeds of new churches in each place.
Paul “put fresh heart into the disciples” with his encouraging but straightforward words. He preached and warned them of the trials and difficulties that they could expect to face – just as he did. This was a necessary condition to enter the kingdom.
From Pisidian Antioch Paul and Barnabas retraced their steps through Pisidia, Perga in Pamphylia and to the coastal town of Attalia, the main port of Pamphylia. From there they went back to Antioch in Syria and gave a complete report of their mission experiences and told of how God “had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles” and how well they had accepted the message of the Gospel.
In our work for the Church we also need to report to the community what we are doing as a submission of ourselves to their evaluation and encouragement. The work of the Church is never that of just one person be it bishop, priest, religious or lay person. Still less, is the church a ‘service station’ where I just go to fulfil my private needs.
David extols the power, goodness, and mercy of the Lord and his care of those that love him.
Those who, under troubles and temptations, abound in fervent prayer, shall in due season abound in grateful praise, which is the true language of holy joy. For no deliverance of the Israelites, nor the punishment of sinners, so clearly proclaims the justice of God, as the cross of Christ reveals it to the rational mind. It may be truly said of our Lord Jesus Christ, that his words are words of goodness and grace; his works are works of goodness and grace. He is full of compassion; hence he came into the world to save sinners. When on earth, he showed his compassion both to the bodies and souls of men, by healing the one, and making wise the other. He is of great mercy, a merciful High Priest, through whom God is merciful to sinners.
All God’s works show forth his praises. He satisfies the desire of every living thing, except the unreasonable children of men, who are satisfied with nothing. He does well to all the children of men; his own people in a special manner. He is very ready to hear and answer the prayers of his people. He is present everywhere; but in a special way he is nearer to them. He is in their hearts, and dwells there by faith, and they dwell in him. God is close to those that call upon him in truth with sincerity, to help them in times of need. And having taught men to love his name and holy ways, he will save them from the destruction of the wicked. May we then love his name, and walk in his ways, while we desire that all flesh should bless his holy name for ever and ever.
As Jesus prepares to leave his disciples, he knows that they are fearful and upset and they will be all the more so when they see what people will soon be doing to him.
His farewell, then, includes a gift of peace. ‘Peace!’ (Shalom) is the normal Jewish greeting and farewell and Jesus use it when he appears to his disciples after the Resurrection. Originally it meant soundness of body but it came to signify perfect happiness and the liberation which the Messiah was expected to bring. This is the very wholeness which is the aim of Jesus’ mission.
But it is not the peace as the ‘world’ understands it. Peace for Jesus is not simply the absence of violence; it is something much more positive, much deeper. Ironically, it can exist side by side with times of great turmoil. It is something internal, not external. It comes from an inner sense of security, of a conviction that God is with us and in us and that we are in the right place. It is something which not even the threat of death can take away.
It is something that the going away of Jesus cannot remove. Jesus tells his disciples that, if they really loved him, they should be happy that Jesus is going away to his Father. It is always a sign of love when our first priority is the wellbeing of the other person. He says the Father is greater than he, in the sense that as Father he has a kind of priority and is the ultimate source of all that is, though the Son does share all that with the Father and the Spirit. The full divine glory of the Son in Jesus is also veiled behind his humanity for the time being but after the Cross he will pass into the full glory of the Father.
It is obvious that Jesus’ place is with his Father. His disciples, if they love him, will know that and not get in his way. Of course, as Jesus points out, it is also in the disciples’ own
interest that Jesus go away for only then will the Spirit come down on all of them.
The end is near. “The prince of this world is at hand.” But they are not to worry. The powers of evil are limited in what they can do and all that happens to Jesus is simply a manifestation of his great love for his Father and his desire to follow his Father’s wishes. Because, by undergoing what faces him, Jesus will be communicating to the world the tremendous love of the Father for each one of us.
Let us pray:
Heavenly Father, love is a precious union of heart and a sweet communion of spirit, and just as the Father and Son emanate the same powerful love, so we too are to have that same beautiful love developing in us, by the power of the Spirit.
Lord I pray that the body of Christ may become united as one, and abound in the unity of the spirit more and more, in love – not compromising truth but showing a genuine concern for one another. I pray that we may be united in spirit and in purpose, and that we do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but rather with humility of mind regard the needs of the other as more important than our own. This I ask in the name of Jesus. Amen (Anon).
Oordenking Dag Sewe en Veertig Nasionale Lockdown Dinsdag 12 Mei 2020
Hand.14:19-27 Psalm 145:10-13, 21 Joh. 14:27-31a
Goeie dag liewe vriende,
Ons is vandag by die finale beskrywing van Paulus en Barnabas se eerste sendingreis. Gister het ons hulle in Listra gelos in die ongemaklike situasie waar hulle as gode beskou was a.g.v. die genesing van ‘n verlamde man. Hul glorie was van korte duur en hul vyande op hul hakke. Die Joodse hatigheid wat hulle in Antiogië en Ikonium ervaar het, het opgedaag en die mense van Listra opgesteek teen die twee apostels. Die mense wie hul gister as gode gesien het, het Paulus gestenig en vir die dood gelaat; maar Paulus het oorleef, teruggekeer en na Derbe gereis met Barnabas waar hulle die evangelie verkondig het en ‘n redelike getal mense tot inkeer gekom het.
Hulle het hul terugreis onderneem deur elkeen van die stede wat hulle oorspronklik ge-evangeliseer het en waar hulle groot teenkanting ervaar het. Hulle het baie Christen gelowiges gemaak tussen die Jode en Grike en dit het die saad geword van nuwe kerke in elke plek.
Paulus het die dissipels bemoedig en aangespoor met sy bemoedigende en reguit woorde. Hy het gepredik en hulle gewarsku van die vervolging en moeilikhede wat hulle kan verwag, soos hy ervaar het. Dit was nodig om die koningkryk te verdien.
Vanaf Pisidian Antiogië het Paulus en Barnabas hul spore teruggevolg deur Pisidia, Perga in Pamfilië en die kusdorp van Attalia, die hawe van Pamfilië. Hiervandaan is hulle terug na Antiogië in Sirië en het volledige verslag van hul ervaringe en reis aan die leiers gegee. Hulle het vertel hoedat God ‘n deur van geloof onder die Heidene oopgemaak het, en hoe hulle (Heidene) die evangelie ontvang het.
In ons werk vir die kerk moet ons ook verslag doen aan die gemeenskap oor wat ons doen as ‘n teken van onderwerping tot hul evaluasie (nasien) en aanmoediging. Die werk van die kerk is nooit net die van een persoon nie, of dit biskop, priester, kloosterling of leke persoon is. Nog minder is die kerk ‘n petrolstasie waar ek gaan om in persoonlike behoefte gevul te word.
Dawid besing die grootheid, goedheid en genade van God en Sy omgee vir diegene wie Hy liefhet. Hulle onder moeilkhede, versoekinge wie volhard in gebede, sal oorvloed hê in dankbare genade, die taal van heilige vreugde. Nie die verlossing van Israel of die straf vir sondiges, wys so duidelik die geregtigheid van God, soos die kruis van Jesus nie. Die woorde van Jesus is woorde van goedheid en genade, Sy werke, werke van goedheid en genade. Hy is vol omgee en het na die wêreld gekom om sondaars te verlos. Terwyl Hy op aarde was het Hy Sy omgee gewys vir die liggame en siele van mense , deur die een te genees en die ander wys te maak. Hy is genadig, ‘n genadige Hoë Priester, deur wie God genade openbaar aan sondaars.
God bevredig die behoeftes van alles wat leef, behalwe die onreddelikes wie met niks tevrede is nie. Hy doen goed aan alle mense, maar veral aan Sy eie mense op ‘n spesiale manier. God beantwoord die gebede van Sy volk,is alomteenwoordig, maar nader aan Sy volk op ‘n spesiale manier. Hy is in hul harte en woon daar in geloof en hulle in Hom. God is altyd naby diegene wie tot Hom roep in gebed met waaragtigheid en opregtheid en gereed om hulle te help. Hy het die mens geleer om Sy naam en heilige weë te eer en lief te hê, en sal hulle red van die kwaad en verwoesting wat die onheiliges beplan. Mag ons ook Sy naam so liefhê en in Sy weë wandel, terwyl ons begeer dat alle vlees Sy heilige Naam vir ewig sal vereer.
Jesus berei voor om Sy dissipels te verlaat en weet hulle is vreesbevange en ontsteld en sal meer so wees as hulle binnekort sal sien wat die mense aan Hom sal doen. Sy afskeidsboodskap sluit ‘n boodskap van vrede in. Vrede, Shalom is ‘n normale Joodse groetevorm by ontmoeting of afskeid en Jesus gebruik dit wanneer Hy aan Sy dissipels verskyn na Sy opstanding.
Oorspronklik beteken dit goeie gesondheid, maar dit verteenwoordig ook volkome vreugde en die verlossing/bevryding wat die Messias na verwagting sou bring. Dit is die volmaaktheid, die doel van Jesus se sending.
Maar dit is nie vrede soos die wêreld dit verstaan nie. Vrede vir Jesus is nie net die afwesigheid van geweld of konflik nie; dit is iets meer positiefs, baie dieper in betekenis. Ironies genoeg kan hierdie vrede bestaan langs tye van groot chaos, pyn en seer. Dit is iets van binne en nie van buite nie, en kom van ‘n innerlike sekerheid, ‘n oortuiging dat God met ons is en ons op die regte plek is. Nie eers die bedreiging van die dood kan hierdie vrede wegneem nie, selfs nie eers die vertrek en weggaan van Jesus nie.
Jesus vertel aan Sy dissipels dat as hulle Hom liefhet, sal hulle verstaan hoekom Hy, na die Vader moet gaan en sal bly wees daaroor.
Dit is altyd ‘n teken van liefde wanneer ons prioriteit die welstand en vooruitgang van iemand anders is. Jesus sê “ die Vader is groter as Hy”, het altyd die belang van ander op die hart en is die bron van waar alles kom, al deel die Seun en die Heilige Gees met die Vader hierin.
Die volle heilige heerlikheid van die Seun Jesus is ook verskuild agter Sy menslikheid vir nou, maar sal na die Kruis na die Vader gaan om Sy heerlikheid te deel. Dit is baie duidelik dat Jesus se plek by Sy Vader is en die dissipels indien hulle Hom liefhet sal dit weet en nie probeer om Hom te keer of in Sy pad te staan nie. Jesus wys dat dit in hul beste belang is dat Hy gaan, sodat hulle die Heilige Gees kan ontvang. Die einde is naby “ die prins van duisternis is hier”, maar hulle hoef nie bekommerd te wees nie, want die magte van duisternis is beperk in wat dit kan doen en wat met Jesus gebeur is net bewys van Sy groot liefde vir Sy Vader en Sy begeerte om Sy Vader se wense te volg. Deur hierdie dinge deur te gaan sal Jesus aan die wêreld wys die groot liefde van die Vader vir elkeen van ons.
Laat ons bid:
Hemelse Vader, liefde is die waardevolle eenheid van die hart en ‘n soet gemeenskap van die gees, en net soos die Vader en die Seun hierdie liefde uitstraal, so moet ons dieselfde liefde ontwikkel deur die Heilige Gees. Here ek bid dat die liggaam van Jesus een sal wees, gebind in die eenheid van die gees, meer en meer in liefde, nie besig om waarheid te verdraai nie, en in opregte omgee vir mekaar. Ek bid dat ons verenig sal wees in gees en doel, en dat ons niks sal doen uit selfsug of eiewaan nie, maar uit nederigheid van gedagte wat ander se behoeftes sien as meer belangrik as ons eie. Ons vra dit in Jesus naam Amen. (Onbekend)