8 February 2009

Welcome to St Alban’s Anglican Church

Today's Scripture : Isaiah 40: 21-end 1 Corinthians 9:16-23 S. Mark 1: 29-39

Today: 8.35 a.m. BCP Matins; 9.00 a.m. Church School/ Bible Study; 9.30 a.m. Holy Communion; EP 6 p.m.

This Week: Tues - Fri 12.30 p.m. Midday Prayers

Septuagesima

O Lord, we beseech thee favourably to hear the prayers of thy people; that we, who are justly punished for our offences, may be mercifully delivered by thy goodness, for the glory of thy Name; through Jesus Christ our Saviour, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end.

 

FAITH IN FOCUS: EVERY SILVER LINING HAS A CLOUD!

The worst thing you can do to someone who’s depressed is to tell them to pull themselves together. They simply can’t, because they don’t see things the way we do and from their point of view all the positives seem to have vanished.

It’s easy to jump on the bandwagon of depression, although most of us just like a good moan and we occasionally end up feeling sorry for ourselves. We complain about the rise in food prices in the economic downturn but then we still spend our money on things that we don’t really need or that don’t do us any good.

But imagine if you really did lose all hope and the future seemed bleak. Where would you turn? What would be the compass points of your existence that would guide you through the dark days?

In today’s gospel we hear that Jesus cured many people of mental illness who were brought to him by their family and friends. When everything else seemed to have failed they knew that he wouldn’t let them down. "Casting out devils" meant healing mental disturbance and this was a large part of the healing ministry of Christ.

Just because we believe in Jesus does not mean that we will never suffer from depression; in fact, depression is sometimes the only way a person can survive an awful experience. It’s the mind’s way of defending itself for a while. And it’s not the case that Christians look at the world with rose-coloured glasses. We don’t just see a wonderful world; we go through the same troughs as every other person. But faith gives a purpose to our suffering. It teaches us that whatever we undergo we are not alone. Besides any medical treatment that we might receive, we also know that Jesus himself has already taken on the deepest suffering possible and has overcome it. Being a Christian means being part of a community that cares, a community that sees the hurt of one person as affecting the whole Body of Christ, the Church. Look around you.

WHEN THINGS GO WRONG in your life where do you turn to? What makes sense of the downs as well as the ups? Such was the power of attraction which Jesus had that people brought their needy family and friends to him wherever he went.

ALTHOUGH MUCH DEPRESSION is either the result of chemical signals to the brain or the consequence of a natural reaction to some horrible event, there is also that which is nourished by a lifetime of ungrieved and unforgiven hurts. Moreover, those whose lives are guided by some principle that goes beyond the merely material are much less likely to have to deal with depression. (Elizabeth Kowalska)

THE FRIEND who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing, not healing, not curing ... that is a friend who cares. (Henri Nouwen)

 

IT’S NOT ILLNESS, faith healers, doctors, unusual occurrences, or even the sick person that merits our greatest attention. It is Jesus the Healer who merits it. This remains true even if health is not restored.

(Philippa Preston)

 

THIS WEEK’S BIBLE READINGS

Mon: Ecclesiastes 1, John 17:1-5, 1 Tim 6:1-10

Tues: Eccles 2, John 17: 6-19, 1 Tim 6:11-end

Wed: Eccles 3:1-15, John 17:20-end, 2 Tim 1:1-14

Thurs: Eccles 3:16 - 4:end, John 18: 1-11, 2 Tim 1:15 - 2:13

Fri : Eccles 5, John 18: 12-27, 2 Tim 2:14-end

Sat: Eccles 6, John 18: 28-end, 2 Tim 3

NEXT SUNDAY: Proverbs 8: 1, 22-31, Colossians 1:15-20, S. John 1: 1-14