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 15:7-21

Psalm 96:1-3, 10-13

John 15:9-11

Morning Prayer

Psalm 110, 111, 112

Leviticus 19: 26-37

2 Thessalonians 1: 1-12

Evening Prayer

Psalms 113, 114

Wisdom 14:27 – 15:3

Matthew 6:25-34

Reflection Day Forty Nine National Lockdown Thursday 14 May 2020

Acts 15:7-21 Psalm 96:1-3, 10-13 John 15:9-11

Good day dear friends,

Peter, as head of the Church, having heard both sides of the dispute, rises to give the decision. He recalls to the minds of those present the case of Cornelius and points out that God had manifested His will to the effect that the Gentiles were to be admitted to the Church on an equal footing with the Jews, without being subjected to the observances of the Mosaic Law. He further observes that God gave to the Gentile converts, whom he had received, as well as to the Jews, the Holy Spirit not by Mosaic observances, but by faith in Jesus Christ.

“By my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the Gospel and believe”. Once again we see a connection between hearing and believing as was noted in the commentary on Monday’s reading from Acts. Peter says, they were not justified and saved by the Law, but by faith in the Redeemer to come; and likewise both Jews and Gentiles are now to be saved, not by the Law, but by the grace of faith in Jesus Christ who has come.

After Peter had spoken, and his words had been respectfully received by the assembly, Paul and Barnabas related to the multitude the success of their mission among the Gentiles. The relation of the miracles and signs of approval with which God had favoured their labours was a confirmation of what Peter had just said.

James here says that God could foretell the conversion of the Gentiles and their participation in the blessings of the new kingdom. The Gentiles, therefore, who are but enjoying the privileges God foretold for them and provided for them, are not to be troubled.

The converted Gentiles were not obliged to submit either to circumcision or to the Mosaic observances, and yet James thought it well, for the sake of peace, to ask them to be careful about certain things which were very offensive to the Jews.

James, therefore, agrees with Peter and Paul that the Gentiles are free from the Mosaic observances which the Jews wish to have imposed on them, but he at the same time counsels the Gentiles to refrain from certain pagan practices which were extremely obnoxious to Jews. So much was necessary for peace and unity in the Church.

This psalm is part of that which was delivered into the hand of Asaph and his brethren, by which it appears that David was the author of it and that it has reference to the bringing up of the ark to the city of David. Although it was sung at the translation of the ark, it looks further, to the kingdom of Christ, and is designed to celebrate the glories of that kingdom, especially the concurrence of the Gentiles to it. Here is:

A call given to all people to praise God, to worship him, and give glory to him, as a great and glorious God.

Notice given to all people of God’s universal government and judgment, which ought to be the matter of universal joy.

We are required to honour God.

Three times we are here called to sing unto the Lord; sing to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit in the church militant here and now and in the church triumphant, there and then. This is a prophecy of the calling of the Gentiles.

The Christian religion, as far as it is embraced, shall establish states and kingdoms, and preserve good order among men. The church in the world shall be established, that it cannot be moved.

Christ’s government will be unquestionably just and righteous: His ruling and judging with righteousness and truth signify,

That all laws and ordinances of his kingdom shall be consonant to the rules and principles of eternal truth and equity.
The administrations of government shall be just and faithful.
He shall rule in the hearts and consciences of men by the commanding power of truth and the Spirit of righteousness and sanctification.

The days of the Messiah will be joyful and it is the duty of every one of us to bid Christ and his kingdom welcome. God will graciously accept the holy joy and praises of all the hearty well-wishers to the kingdom of Christ. He that searches the heart knows what the mind of the Spirit is, and understands the language, the broken language, of the weakest.

Today’s Gospel is formed of only three verses which continue from yesterday’s Gospel and give more light to be able to apply the comparison of the vine to the life of the community. The community is like a vine. It goes through difficult moments. It is the time of the pruning, a necessary moment in order to be able to bear more fruit.

Remain in My love, source of perfect joy. Jesus remains in the love of the Father, by observing the commandments which He receives from Him. We remain in the love of Jesus by observing the commandments which He has left for us. And we should observe them in the same way in which He observed the commandments of the Father: “If you keep My commandments you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love”. It is in this union of the love of the Father and of Jesus that the source of true joy is found: “I have told you this so that My joy may be in you and your joy be complete.”

The people of the bible cultivated the vine and produced good wine. The harvest of the grapes was a feast with songs and dances, and this gave origin to the song of the vine, used by the prophet Isaiah. esus invites his disciples to keep his commandments not because he wants to restrict their freedom, but rather wants them to become more loving. Jesus knows that it is in the process of trying to live with a care for the wellbeing of others that we find the deepest joy and experience the deepest love. Through union with himself Jesus desires for us a joy that is complete. How can we fail to be attracted by that promise? How is my union with him developing?

Let us pray:

Heavenly Father, I know that in and of myself I cannot love others in the same way that Christ loved me – unless I surrender my life completely into Your hands – so that His Spirit of love may flow through me to others.. until it is not I that live in this body – but Christ that lives in me. Amen (Knowing Jesus)

Oordenking Dag Nege en Veertig Nasionale Lockdown Donderdag 14 Mei 2020

Hand. 15:7-21 Psalm 96:1-3, 10-13 Joh. 15:9-11

Goeie dag liewe vriende,

Petrus as hoof van die kerk het nadat hy beide kante van die geskil gehoor het opgestaan en sy besluit gegee. Hy het die voorbeeld van Cornelius aangehaal en aangedui dat God Sy wil laat geskied deurdat Heidene op gelyke voet met Jode tot die geloof toegelaat moet word, sonder dat hulle aan die wet van Moses onderwerp word. Hy het ge-argumenteer dat God die Heilige Gees aan beide Heidene en Joodse gelowiges gegee het, nie deur die onderhouding van die wet van Moses nie, maar deur geloof in Christus Jesus. “Deur my mond moet die Heidene die woord van die evangelie hoor en glo”

Hier sien ons weer ‘n verbintenis tussen “hoor” en “glo” soos in Maandag se les uit Handelinge. Petrus verklaar dat hulle nie geregverdig en gered was deur die wet nie, maar deur geloof in die verlosser wie sou kom, en daarom kan beide Joodse en Heidense gelowiges nou verlossing kry nie deur die wet nie, maar deur die genade van geloof in Jesus Christus wie reeds gekom het. Na Petrus se toespraak met respek deur die byeenkoms aanvaar was, het Paulus en Barnabas opgestaan en verslag gegee oor die sukses van hul sendingreis tussen die Heidene. Die verhouding tussen die wonderwerke en tekens van bevestiging deur God het hul arbeid voorkeur gegee en bevestig wat Petrus so pas gesê het.

Jakobus het aangevoer dat God bevestiging kan gee aan die redding en bekering van Heidene en hul deelname aan die seninge van God se koningkryk. Die Heidene daarom wie die voordele en guns van God geniet wat gegee en belowe was, moet nie verder bemoei word nie.

Die bekeerde Heidene was nie gedwing om besny te word of die wet te onderhou nie, maar Jakobus het vir die behoudenis van vrede van hulle versoek om nie dinge te doen wat aanstoot aan die Joodse bekerlinge kan gee nie. Jakobus stem dus saam met beide Petrus en Paulus dat hulle vry is van die onderhouding van die wet wat die Joodse gelowiges op hulle plaas, maar maan ook dat hulle, hul weerhou van ongelowige praktyke en gebruike wat aanstoot mag gee. Soveel was nodig vir eenheid en vrede in die kerk toe, en dieselfde is nodig nou.

Hierdie Psalm is deel van wat aan Asaf en sy broers toevertrou was, waardeur dit blyk dat dit uit die pen van Dawid kom en vêr vorentoe kyk na die bring van die verbondsark na die stad van Dawid. Dit was gesing by die aankoms van die ark, maar verwys na die toekomstige koningkryk van Christus en was geskep om die heerlikheid van daardie koningkryk te vier, veral die aanvaarding daarvan deur Heidene.

Hier is:

‘n Oproep tot alle mense om God te loof, te aanbid en te verheerlik as ‘n groot en magtige God.

Kennis te gee aan almal van God se regering en oordeel, wat die bron moet wees vir wêreldwye vreugde en viering.

Dit word van ons verwag om God te loof. Drie keer word die hoorders versoek om tot die Here te sing deur die Vader, Seun en Heilige Gees as die kerk militant nou hier en die kerk oorwinnend daar en dan. Dit spreek van ‘n profesie van die roeping van Heidene.

Die christen geloof waar dit aanvaar word, sal regerings stig en goeie orde tussen mense handhaaf. Die kerk sal onbeweeglik gevestig word en God se regering sal ongetwyfeld regverdig en opreg wees. Hierdie regering bevestig:

Dat alle wette en verondeninge van die koningkryk gelyk sal wees aan die reels en beginsels van ewige waarheid en gelykheid.

Die bestuur van die regering sal regverdig en vry wees.

God sal regeer in die harte en gewetens van mense deur die krag van waarheid en die Gees van regverdigheid en redding.

Die dae van die Mesias sal vreugdevol wees en dit is die plig van elkeen om Christus en Sy koningkryk te verwelkom. God sal die lof en vreugde van almal tot die koningkryk verwelkom. Hy wie die hart deursoek weet wat die gedagte van die Gees is en verstaan die gebroke taal van die swakkes.

Vandag se evangelie bestaan uit slegs drie verse wat voortgaan uit gister se evangelie en werp meer lig op die vergelykking tussen die wingerd en die lewe van die gemeenskap. Die gemeenskap is soos ‘n wynstok, wat deur moeilike tye en omstandighede gaan in die snoeityd, ‘n nodige proses wat goeie vrug moet verseker. Jesus versoek die gemeenskap om in Sy liefde, die bron van volmaakte vrede en vreugde te bly. Hy, Jesus bly in die liefde van die Vader deur die opdragte en verordeninge wat die Vader aan Hom toevertrou het te onderhou. Ons op ons beurt bly in die liefde van Jesus deur die opdragte en verordeninge wat Hy, Jesus aan ons toevertrou het te onderhou. Ons moet doen teenoor Hom, soos Hy teenoor die Vader doen. “ As julle my gebooie gehoorsaam, sal julle in my liefde bly, net soos ek my Vader se gebooie gehoorsaam en in Sy liefde bly” Dit is in hierdie eenheid van die liefde van Vader en Seun waar ons die ware bron van vreugde vind. “ Ek sê julle dit sodat my vreugde in julle kan wees en julle vreugde volkome kan wees.”

Die mense van die bybel het wingerde bewerk en goeie wyn gelewer. Die oes van die druiwe was ‘n fees met koordans en sang soos deur Jesaja verwys. Jesus nooi die dissipels uit om gebooi te bewaar nie om hul van hul vryheid te ontneem nie, maar hulle meer liefdevol te maak. Dit is wanneer ons leef vir die omgee en sorg van ander dat ons vreugde ervaar en diepe liefde ontdek. Jesus begeer vir ons ook volkome vreugde deur eenheid met Hom. Hoe kan ons faal om deur hierdie uitnodiging aangetrek te word? Hoe is my eenheid met Hom besig om te ontwikkel?

Laat ons bid:

Hemelse Vader, ek weet dat in myself ek nie kan liefhê soos Christus nie, behalwe as ek my lewe totaal in U hande plaas sodat die Heilige Gees van liefde deur my kan vloei na ander. Totdat ek nie meer in myself leef en bestaan nie, maar Christus in my leef en bestaan.