The Cayman Islands are within the ancient
Episcopal Jurisdiction
of
The Bishop of London granted him by the Crown in 1634
St Alban’s (Grand Cayman) & St
Mary’s (Cayman Brac)
Church & Office - 461 Shedden Road
P O Box 719, Grand Cayman KY1-1103, CAYMAN ISLANDS
Tel (345) 949 2757 : Fax (345)
949 0619
www.churchofenglandcayman.com
rector@churchofenglandcayman.com
3 July 2011
Welcome
to St Alban’s Anglican Church
Today's
Scripture: Zechariah 9: 9-12
Romans 7: 15-25a
S. Matthew 11: 16-19, 25–end
Today: 9.00
a.m. Matins; 9.30 a.m. Holy Eucharist; 6.00 p.m. EP.
This
Week: Rector away Tues - Sat.
Next Sunday: 9.00
a.m. Matins; 9.30 a.m. Holy Eucharist; 6p.m. EP.
2nd
Sunday after Trinity
O Lord,
who never failest to help and govern them whom thou
dost bring up in thy stedfast fear and love; Keep us,
we beseech thee, under the protection of thy good providence, and make us to
have a perpetual fear and love of thy holy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
FAITH IN
FOCUS: DON’T BE FOOLED
A pensioner waiting at the bus stop with several
heavy b 
ags of shopping
noticed a young man whose face was covered in tattoos and whose ears, eyebrows
and nose were pierced with rings. When the bus arrived, the man helped her on
with her shopping. When she got off, he did the same before getting back on the
bus and continuing on his journey. She commented how ashamed she felt at
forming a bad opinion of the man from no evidence other than his looks. And
looks, of course, can easily fool us.
No doubt some of the Jews under occupation thought
it farcical that their liberator would come riding on a donkey. And when Jesus
started talking about being gentle and humble of heart it probably seemed as if
he had lost the plot.
Yet it was this very gentleness and humility that
would win over the hearts and minds of even the hardest sinners. For they
recognised that Jesus was not there to create an atmosphere around himself. He
had no edge. His words brought an inner calm. He invited them to look into
their own hearts and to respond accordingly.
For gentleness is not the same as weakness. Ask any
doctor. The gentleness of the surgeon’s hands produces the most amazing
results. Ask those who serve on the front line of battle as medics. They can be
powerful witnesses. And humility is not the same as self-deprecation. It means
boasting about God rather than ourselves, giving the credit to the true source
of all our gifts, the origin of our successes.
Being gentle and humble of heart means that we still
find ourselves in the thick of things. But what we don’t do is to bully others
into doing what we want them to do or go around blowing our own trumpet and
looking for accolades. Don’t be fooled by Christians who are gentle and humble.
They are among the most effective of people. But their daily yoke is shared by
an unseen helper; and their burdens seem lighter.