3 August 2008

Welcome to St Alban’s Anglican Church 

Today's Scripture (HC) : Isaiah 55:1-5   Rom 9:1-5   S. Matthew 14:13-21

Today's Liturgy: 9.00a.m. BCP Matins;   9.30a.m. Holy Communion;   St. Mary’s 7.30 p.m. Holy Communion

Tues, Thurs, Fri 12.30 p.m. Midday Prayer.    Wednesday (THE TRANSFIGURATION) HC 12.30 p.m.

11^th 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: SHARING

The feeding of the 5,000 has to be one of the most well known episodes in the gospels, familiar even to those with little knowledge of the life and times of Jesus. We can probably remember it from our childhood days.

We know that it happened and that it was a miraculous event, but we don’t know how. We even give the story different names to emphasise different aspects: the feeding of the 5,000, the multiplication of the bread or the miracle of the loaves.

But what would we like to have happened? Do we favour the idea of Jesus acting like a magician by taking a tiny amount of bread and fish and making it stretch into a huge spread? Would anyone’s life be permanently changed by that? Possibly. Would we prefer to think of it as an act whereby Jesus backed up his teaching with a practical example? Would anyone’s life be changed by that? Certainly.

In a world where we’re used to hearing of earthquakes and cyclones in which thousands of people die and millions are left with scarce food and drink, today’s gospel story perhaps has a different challenge for us. Today maybe we are called not simply to wonder at the miracle and then applaud, but rather to join in the miracle by the way we share with those who are hungry.

We can’t simply look at the accounts in the gospel as if they were only historical events that took place long ago. If we are to make Christ the miracle-worker present in our century, then we have to give "miracles" a chance. If we really took Jesus’ words to heart and responded so that the whole world had its daily bread, then the feeding of the 5,000 would happen in our lives with regularity. Jesus the miracle-worker would be present through us.

So if we enjoy the miracles then we have to make sure we’re part of them today. Would anyone’s life be changed by that? I’ll leave it up to you ...

WORD OF GOD

They all ate as much as they wanted, and they collected the scraps remaining, twelve baskets full. (Matthew 14:20)

WORD FOR TODAY

After the crowd of 5,000 had had its fill of bread and fish it was not long before it was hungry again. What is the deep-down hunger that you experience? How do you try to gratify it? Does your faith satisfy your deepest desires or are you not eating enough?

WE ARE NOT CISTERNS made for hoarding. We are channels made for sharing. (Billy Graham)

EUCHARIST IS A TWO-WAY STREET: we receive in order to give. In this way it reflects our everyday existence whereby we make a living by what we get but we make a life by what we give. (Nicola Baty)

TRANSFIGURATION (August 6th)

Holy God, upon the mountain you revealed our Messiah, who by his death and resurrection would fulfil both the law and the prophets. By his Transfiguration enlighten our path that we may dare to suffer with him in the service of humanity and so share in the everlasting glory of him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, One God, forever. Amen. (Methodist Prayer)

THIS WEEK’S BIBLE READINGS

Mon: 2 Sam 3: 12-end, Acts 6, Mark 5: 1-20

Tues: 2 Sam 5:1-12, Acts 7:1-16, Mark 5:21-34

Wed(THE TRANSFIGURATION): Dan 7:9-10, 13-14, 2 Peter 1: 16-19, S. Luke 9:28-36

Thurs: 2 Sam 7: 1-17, Acts 7:44-53, Mark 6: 1-13

Fri : 2 Sam 7:18-end, Acts 7:54 - 8:3, Mark 6:14-29

Sat : 2 Sam 9, Acts 8:4-25, Mark 6:30-44

NEXT SUNDAY : 1 Kings 19:9-18, Romans 10:5-15, S. Matthew 14:22-33