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St
Alban’s (Grand Cayman) & St Mary’s (Cayman Brac) | |
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26
April 2009 Welcome
to
St
Alban's Anglican Church
Today's
Scripture :
Acts 3: 12-19 1 John
3:1-7
S. Luke 24:36b–48 Today:
8.35 a.m. Matins; 9.00 a.m. Church School/Scripture Study; 9.30 a.m.
Holy Eucharist; Evening Prayer 6 p.m. This
Week:
Mon-Thurs: 12.30 p.m. Midday Prayer; Fri (Ss. PHILIP & JAMES):
12.30p.m. HC. 2st
Sunday after Easter
Almighty
God. Who hast given thine only Son to be unto us both a sacrifice
for sin, and also an ensample of godly life; Give us grace that we
may always most thankfully receive that his inestimable benefit, and
also daily endeavour ourselves to follow the blessed steps of his
most holy life; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord.
Both
Luke and John report after-death appearances of Jesus where he wants
something to eat. And in two of the stories he ends up eating
grilled fish. So he wasn’t a vegetarian! On
one level we can see these two accounts as just simple stories that
give us a bit more extra detail than we normally have about Jesus’
social habits. But there may be something else going on in the two
gospel writers’ minds. How
do we meet the risen Jesus today? Clearly the most obvious way is
through other people. Through our baptism we are called to become
“other Christs”. We are called to be as Christ to each other and
we see the face of Christ in all people who require our care, our
concern and our service. We meet the risen Christ in the liturgy
when ministers and congregation gather, for Jesus said that wherever
two or three gather in his name he will be present. We meet him in
the words of scripture. Far from being some ancient book of
religious formulae the scriptures are the living word of God. When
the scriptures are proclaimed in church it is God who speaks. And
while we are ready to say that Christ is present in the sacraments,
it has to be the eucharist that takes pride of place for meeting the
risen Lord. For it is in eating and drinking the body and blood of
Christ that we come closest to him. St Augustine never tired of
telling his congregation that they would become what they ate: the
Body of Christ, which is also the name we give to the Church. At
what precise moment did the two Emmaus disciples realise that they
were in the presence of their risen Lord? It was when he broke the
bread for them to eat. What was it that Jesus asked the apostles for
in both Luke and John’s gospel? Something to eat! Not
surprising really, because when we eat that bread and drink that cup
we proclaim Christ’s death and resurrection until he comes again.
WORD
OF GOD “Have
you anything here to eat?” And they offered him a piece of grilled
fish which he took and ate before their eyes. (Luke 24:41-43) WORD
FOR TODAY We
meet Christ in so many different circumstances, but the most
privileged way is when we eat and drink his body and blood at
eucharist. And the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is alive
and active when we gather together as the community of believers. THE
EFFECTS OF OUR COMMUNION in the body and blood of Christ is that we
are transformed into what we consume. (Pope Leo I)
WHEN
THE PRIEST SAYS TO US “The Body of Christ”, our “Amen” means
not only “Yes, I believe” but “Yes, I will be”. For by
receiving communion we pledge ourselves to full participation as
members of the Church which, of course, is the Body of Christ. And by
eating and drinking his body and blood we both meet the risen Lord and
make him present in our world today. (Elspeth Welch) THIS
WEEK’S BIBLE READINGS
Mon:
Deut 5: 1–22, Ephes 1: 1-14, Luke 1:1-25 Tues:
Deut 5: 22-end, Ephes 1: 15–end, Luke 1: 26-38 Wed:
Deut 6, Ephes 2:1-10, Luke 1:39-56 Thurs:
Deut 7:1–11, Ephes 2: 11-end, Luke 1:57-end Fr
– (SS. PHILIP & JAMES): Isa 30:15–21, Eph 1: 3-10, John
14: 1–14 Sat: Deut 8, Ephes 3: 14-end, Luke 2:
21-40 NEXT
SUNDAY : Acts 4: 5-12, 1 John 3: 16–end, S. John
10: 11-18
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