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St
Alban’s (Grand Cayman) & St Mary’s (Cayman Brac) | ||
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15
March 2009 Welcome
to
St
Alban's Anglican Church
Today's
Scripture :
Exodus
20: 1-17
1 Corinthians 1:18-25
S. John 2: 13-22
Today: 8.35 a.m. BCP Matins;
9.00 a.m. Church Sch/Script Study; 9.30 a.m.
Holy Communion; EP 6 p.m. This Week: Tues – Wed, Fri 12.30 p.m. Midday Prayers; Thurs (S.
Joseph) 12.30 p.m. Holy Communion 3rd
Sunday in Lent We beseech thee, Almighty God, look upon the hearty desires of thy humble servants, and stretch forth the right hand of thy Majesty, to be our defence against all our enemies; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
FAITH
IN FOCUS: WHAT A FOOL!
Have
you noticed how the media, particularly the television and cinema,
treat the clergy of the Christian Churches? Actually, they treat
them like fools. The Anglican is parodied as a harmless fop (think
of the vicar in Dad’s Army), the Catholic portrayed often as an
alcoholic (as in Father Ted) and the Methodist or Free Church
minister derided as a fun-hating misery (or any of us as
“primitive gay-haters” – NS). By caricaturing the clergy like
this you caricature the religion. And why do it?
Because
what Christians believe appears stupid. It doesn’t make sense to
anyone else. In fact, it seems sheer foolishness. That’s why it
frightens others and invites mockery. Who
in their right mind would believe in a God who is the creator and
life-force of all that exists? Surely we all know that science has
done away with the need for God? Who
apart from a madman or woman would believe that the baby born into
the world two thousand years ago is actually the embodiment on earth
of the divine being? Only
a fool would accept the teaching that says we have to die in order
really to enjoy life. It’s an idiot’s creed to put others’
needs before your own. Surely you need a feeble mind to see victory
in the public and humiliating execution of your leader? We
need a Lenten reality check to realise that we are fools to many in
our society. The teaching of Christ does not seek to be respectable
but radical and it alienates just as much as it endears. St Paul
gets to the heart of it today saying, “Here we are preaching a
crucified Christ; to the Jews an obstacle that they cannot get over,
to the pagans madness, but to those who have been called, whether
they are Jews or Greeks, a Christ who is the power and the wisdom of
God. For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom and God’s
weakness is stronger than human strength.” Don’t
be fooled into thinking that your faith is seen as respectable. Most
people think it’s stupid.
WORD
OF GOD Destroy
this sanctuary and in three days I will raise it up. (John 2:19) WORD
FOR TODAY Christianity
seems foolish from the outside looking in. That’s because it has no
time for the values of a world that is about getting and having, being
top-dog and looking after number one. At the heart of Christianity is
Christ’s call to die to self in order to enjoy fullness of life.
Sheer stupidity? TRUTH
IS HEAVY. Few, therefore, can bear it. (Hebrew
Proverb ) JOSEPH
(March 19th) - What do we
know about him? We
know he was a working man, a carpenter and that he was poor, because
instead of a lamb he could only afford two doves in sacrifice at the
Temple. … …
But nevertheless we know that Joseph came from a noble background
years ago because one of his ancestors was King David. We
know that he was a compassionate and kind man because he could have
left Mary when she became pregnant but he chose to stand by her. We
know he was a man of faith and an obedient one because despite all the
conflict he trusted what God told him in a dream and he obeyed, taking
his wife and child to Egypt. “He
was a just man” (Matthew 1:18). THERE
IS A DEEP WISDOM inaccessible to the wise and prudent, but disclosed
to babes. (Christopher Bryant SJ) THIS
WEEK'S BIBLE READINGS
Mon:
Jeremiah
11: 1-17, John 7:37-52, Heb 4:14
- 5:10 Tues:
Jer 11:18- 12:6, John 7:53 – 8:11, Heb 5:11 – 6:12 Wed:
Jeremiah 13:1-11, John 8:12-30, Hebrews 6:13-end Thurs
(S.JOSEPH):
2 Sam 7:4-16, Romans 4: 13-18, Matthew 1:18-end Fri
: Jer 15: 10-end, John 8:
48-end, Hebrews 7:11-end Sat:
Jeremiah 16:10 – 17:4, John 9: 1-17, Hebrews 8 NEXT SUNDAY: Numbers 21: 4-9, Ephesians 2: 1-10, S.
John 3: 14-21
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