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
Eucharist readings for the week:
Saturday 28th March
Jeremiah 11:18-20 John 7:40-52
Psalm 7:1-2,9-12
Sunday – Service
Monday 29th March
Susanna 36-62 or Hosea 3:1-5 John 7:53-8:11
Psalm 23
Tuesday 31 March
Numbers 21:4-9 John 8:21-30
Psalm 102:1-2,15-22
Wednesday 1 April
Daniel 3:13-28 John 8:31-47
Psalm 241-6
Thursday 2 April
Genesis 17:3-9 John 8:51-59
Psalm 105:1-9
Friday 3 April
Jeremiah 20:7-13 John 10:31-42
Psalm 18:1-7
Saturday 4 April
Ezekiel 37:21b-28 John 11:45-57
Psalm 121
Reflection for Day Five in National Lockdown Tuesday 31 March 2020
Numbers 5:4-9 Psalm 102:1-2, 15-22 John8:21-30
The incident in Numbers takes place towards the end of Moses’s life and ministry and the end to the sojourns of the Israelites in the wilderness. God is about to commission Joshua to lead the people of God to the promise land by conquering the Transjordan and defining the boundaries to the Promised Land.
The people are close to victory and settlement but are prevented by the Edomites and decided to travel around Edom and do battle against a Canaanite King and prevailed.
The people however complained against Moses and God for lack of comfort and food and showed impatience with the leadership of Israel.
They complained when caught between the army of Egypt and the Red sea, when the water at Marah tasted bitter, when they experienced a shortage of food and again at Rephidim for lack of water.
When given bread, they wanted meat and fish and upon receipt of the report by the spies or scouts, they cowered in the face of the enemy.
God has provided for them time after time in ways that should have paved their faith and yet it did not.
It is only when their lives were threatened that they repented, acknowledged their rebellious sins and sought restoration.
The Psalmist in Psalm 102 speaks for the afflicted of all ages that must rely totally on God for relief. The answer to the psalmist’s grief is not, in this case, direct divine intervention to alter his situation; rather, the psalmist’s own reflection on the unchanging nature of God in His dealing with men soothes his troubled mind.
The psalmist made and introductory petition in the first two verses of the psalm and we are instructed by the composers of our Revised Common Lectionary to omit the lament that follows and to rather end our psalm with a focus on the compassion of the Lord.
Verses 1-2: begin with a cry for God’s sovereign intervention when human resources have proved insufficient.
It is the prayer of a poor, destitute, and afflicted one, composed by himself from his heart. It is a cry from sincere lips, and expressed under a feeling sense of his needs and worries, voiced in distress, and with great passion and persistence.
Here is a prayer put into the hands of the afflicted; let them present it to God.
It is our duty and interest to pray; and it is comfort to an afflicted spirit to unburden itself, by a humble demonstration of its grief’s.
The psalmist in the latter portion of our psalm is going to the source of help, stating that God is an everlasting God and source of strength.
In our gospel today Jesus is trying to tell people that He is one with the Father and was sent by Him to share with them the good news of His kingdom. He also makes reference to his crucifixion and resurrection when he tells them “when you have lifted up the Son of Man then you will know that I am He”. This reminds us that our salvation cost Him a great deal and opens our hearts to the extent of his love for us. The more you know that a person is of value, the more you wish to hear what he or she has to say, especially when they speak to you on a personal level. This is the way the gift of faith operates in us and helps us to listen to Jesus.
The time to search for Jesus is now.
If I want to see how closely my daily life is aligned with my life priorities, I need only ask myself one question: “How do I spend my time?” If our hearts and our lives are tied to this world, can we really be seeking Christ? And what about times of crisis like right now?
It is when we see Jesus lifted up on the cross that we realise who he is and why he lived. On the cross we see the triumph of love over evil, and our best help in coping with the reality of evil.
Relationships develop through time being spent, in the sharing of desires, through loving and listening. The season of Lent and the time to our disposal during Lockdown is an invitation to a deeper relationship with Jesus.
Let us pray:
Jesus, during Your ministry on Earth You showed Your power and caring by healing people of all ages and stations of life from physical, mental, and spiritual ailments. Be present now to people who need your loving touch because of COVID-19. May they feel your power of healing through the care of doctors and nurses.
Take away the fear, anxiety, and feelings of isolation from people receiving treatment or under quarantine. Give them a sense of purpose in pursuing health and protecting others from exposure to the disease. Protect their families and friends and bring peace to all who love them.
Holy Spirit, as families adjust to everyone being home as businesses and schools close, we ask that you guide people in their new realities. Give spouses grace for each other. Prompt worn-out parents to speak words of kindness and encouragement to their children. Help children find creative ways to experience the beauty of all you have created and continue learning. (Prayers adapted from a world-wide prayer site)
Oordenking Fyfde Dag in Nasionale Lockdown Dinsdag 31 Maart 2020
Genesis 17:3-9 Psalm 105:1-9 John 8:51-59
Die insident vind plaas na aan die einde van Moses se lewe en bediening en teen die einde van Israle se omswerwinge deur die wildernis op pad na die beloofde land. God is besig om Joshua opdrag te gee as Moses se opvolger om die volk na die beloofde land te neem deur die volkere van die Transjordaan te verslaan en die grense van die beloofde land te definieër.
Die Israelitiese volk is na aan oorwinning en hul vestiging word verhoed deur die mense van Edom en hulle besluit om rondom Edom te trek en verslaan in die proses ‘n Kanaanietiese koning.
Die volk murmereer teenoor Moses en God oor gebrek aan kos en water en word baie ongeduldig.
Hulle het gemurmereer toe hulle vasgevang was tussen die weermag van Egipte en die Rooi see, toe die water by Mara bitter was, in die aangesig van gebrek aan kos en weer by Rafidim.
Toe God hulle brood gee wou hulle vleis en vis hê en toe hulle die verslag van die spioene kry was hulle bang vir die vyand.
God het keer op keer vir hulle voorsien op maniere wat hulle geloof sou vestig en tog toon hulle min tot geen geloof in God.
Dit is eers wanneer hul lewens bedreig word dat hulle bely en hul rebelse sondes erken , vergifnis vra en herstel in verhouding met God soek.
In Psalm 102 praat die skrywer vir die gekweste mense van alle geslagte en vra hulle om op God te vertrou vir verligting. Die antwoord tot die skrywer se pyn is nie heilige tussenbeidetrede om sy situasie te verander nie, maar die skrywer se eie oordenking van God se onveranderlike natuur soos Hy, God met die mense deel.
Die skrywer maak ‘n inleidende versoek in die eerste twee verse en die samestellers van ons Revised Common Lectionary versoek ons om die klaaglied te vermy en te fokus op die einde van die psalm op die warmte, liefde en omgee van God.
Die skrywer versoek God om in te tree, wanneer die mens en hul hulpbronne faal om antwoorde en oplossings te gee en onvoldoende is.
Dit is die gebed van ‘n arm, verlate, verstote en beseerde mens wie dit self skryf vanuit sy hart. Dit is geween vanaf opregte lippe, uitgedruk in sy eie behoeftes en bekommernisse in seer met passie en dringendheid.
Hier is ‘n gebed wat vandag in die hande van mense gesit word wie seer ken en hulself aan God wil bied en hulle tot Hom wend.
Dit is ons plig en belang om te bid en dit is gemak vir die beseerde gees om ditself van las vry te maak deur nederig hul pyn en sielsoeke aan God te wys.
In die laaste deel van ons psalm gaan die skrywer na die bron van hulp, God self as ‘n ewige God en bron van krag.
In ons evangelie vertel Jesus sy hoorders dat Hy en die Vader een is en dat dit die Vader is wie Hom, Jesus gestuur het om die goeie nuus van Sy koningkryk met hulle te deel.
Hy , Jesus maak ook verwyssing na Sy kruisiging en opstanding wanneer Hy vir hulle sê “Wanneer julle die seun van die mens verhoog het, sal julle begryp dat Ek is wat Ek is”
Dit herinner ons dat ons verlossing Hom, Jesus baie gekos het en dat dit ons harte moet open tot die mate van Sy liefde vir ons. Wanneer ons die waarde van iemand besef, wil ons meer van hom/haar hoor veral as hy/sy op ‘n persoonlike vlak met ons praat. Dit is hoe die gawe van geloof in ons werk om na Jesus te luister. Die tyd om Jesus te soek is nou.
Indien ek wil bepaal hoe my lewe in lyn is met my prioriteite moet ek myself die volgende een vraag vra: “Hoe en waaraan spandeer ek my tyd?” Indien my hart en lewe aan hierdie wêreld vasgemaak is, kan ek werklik waar sê dat ek Jesus Christus soek?” En wat van in tye van krisis soos nou?
Dit is wanneer ons Jesus op die kruis sien dat ons besef wie Hy is en waarom Hy geleef het.
Verhoudinge ontwikkel deur tyd te spandeer in die deel van begeertes, deur lief te hê en te luister. Die seisoen van Vastyd(Lent) en die tyd tot ons beskikking as gevolg van die lockdown is ‘n uitnodiging tot ‘n dieper verhouding met Jesus.
Gebede:
Jesus, gedurende u bediening hier op aarde het u, u krag en omgee gewys deur mense van alle ouderdomme en stasies van die lewe te genees van fisieke en geestelike siektes. Wees met mense wie U helende aanraking nodig het as gevolg van COVID-19. Mag hulle u krag van genesing ervaar deur die diens en omgee van dokters en verpleërs.
Neem weg die vrees, angs en gevoel van alleenheid van mense wie behandeling ontvang of wie in afsondering is. Gee hulle ‘n gevoel van waardigheid en bruikbaarheid soos hul genesing soek en ander beskerm teen blootstelling aan die pandemie. Beskerm hul families en vriende en bring vrede aan almal wie hul liefhet.
Heilige Gees, soos families aanpas met almal by die huis, soos besighede en skole toemaak, bid ons dat u mense sal help en sal lei in hierdie nuwe fase van hul lewens. Gee aan mans en vroue genade teenoor mekaar en help moeë ouers om met vriendelikheid en warmte met hul kinders te praat en hul aan te moedig. Help kinders om skeppende maniere te vind om die prag van alles wat u geskape het te sien en daarvan te leer. (Gebede aangepas vanaf ‘n wêreldwye gebedsnetwerk).