23 August 2009

Welcome to  St Alban's Anglican Church       

Today's Scripture: Joshua 24: 1-2a, 14-18                Ephes 6:10–20             or S. John 6:56-69

Today: 9.30 a.m. Matins.

This Week: Monday 24^th August (S. Bartholomew) 12.30 p.m. Holy Communion. We will not meet for Midday Prayers in the church this week.

Next Week: Sunday 30^th August 9.30 a.m. Matins.

11^th Sunday after Trinity

O God, who declarest thy almighty power most chiefly in shewing mercy and pity; Mercifully grant unto us such a measure of thy grace, that we, running the way of thy commandments, may obtain thy gracious promises, and be made partakers of thy heavenly treasure; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

 

FAITH IN FOCUS: DAILY CHOICE

Life’s full of choices. Some are not earth-shattering, like the colour of the shoes you decide to put on in the morning or the filling for your sandwich at lunchtime. Others have a lasting if not permanent effect, like the person you ask to spend the rest of your life with or the career you make up your mind to embark upon.

In a spiritually restless society Joshua puts a blunt choice before the people of Israel. If they won’t serve the Lord then who are they going to follow? They decide to follow the Lord their God.

When Jesus began to lose his followers as they defected elsewhere, he too offered the twelve apostles the same choice. “What about you, do you want to go away too?” He realised that his teaching on the bread of life was something that many could not stomach. It gave them indigestion and they preferred to take a less spicy diet.

It was Peter who spoke up for them all. There was no point in going anywhere else when Jesus had the message of eternal life. Their choice was for Jesus, the Holy One of God.

Every Christian has made the choice for Jesus. But this choice isn’t something that’s in the past. It’s not something that we once made and can now sit back and be relaxed about. Because life has no script we have to face a new scene with each passing day. Choices face us every day of the week, some big, others small. We show our commitment to Christ by continuing to make the choice.

Most of us have made a fundamental option for Christ that we are unlikely to turn our backs on lightly. But we still have to keep that preference alive. We have to remind ourselves who it is who motivates us in our thinking and acting. We have to answer Jesus’ question each day: Do you want to go away too?

When we gather together to celebrate the eucharist we give our reply to Jesus’ question. The Christian community comes to the table of the Lord to eat and drink the food of life and thereby ratifies its unequivocal choice for Christ. After all, as Peter said, where else would we think of going?