In today’s gospel reading, Jesus is outraged to find that a work of healing is a cause for division. When the community leaders point out his “error”, Jesus in return points out the error arising from banning works of healing for people in the community whilst acts of mercy towards animals was allowed. He called it out for what it was – hypocrisy. Fancy that, the worshipping community getting all hot under the collar over what is, and what is not, allowed to be done on the Sabbath day.The basic problem was that the worshipping community had made keeping of the Sabbath one of their distinctive markers; to mark them out as separate from the rest of humanity. Keeping the Sabbath was one way which they used to make themselves appear special.What the writer to the Hebrews points out in the section of his letter allocated to us today, is that Christians are not expected to make up reasons to divide themselves off from the rest of humanity.The reason for this is that we are all part of the kingdom of God, and in God’s kingdom there are no divisions. Christ was faithful to God in his life and death, and by his resurrection everyone and anyone is allowed to worship God, and to live faithfully within the love of God.Whatever our background, colour, race, gender, or life-style there are never any reasons for any of us to make up rules that require people to comply with our idea of how God wants life to be lived. There is only one requirement: that is for us to live faithfully within the love of God.Being in the Kingdom of God is a cause for celebration not division.The Revd Malcolm France
Lord, direct our thoughts, and teach us to pray. Lift up our hearts to worship you in spirit and in truth, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.‘Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name.’ (Psalm 103:1)Hymn: Praise, my soul, the King of heaven!Readings: Isaiah 58:9b-14; Hebrews 12:18-29We meet God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit with repentance in our hearts. Let us confess our sins: Most merciful God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we confess that we have sinned in thought, word and deed. We have not loved you with our whole heart. We have not loved our neighbours as ourselves. In your mercy forgive what we have been, help us to amend what we are, and direct what we shall be; that we may do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with you, our God. Amen.May the God of love bring us back to himself, forgive us our sins, and assure us of his eternal love in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.Prayer for the day: Lord of heaven and earth, as Jesus taught his disciples to be persistent in prayer, give us patience and courage never to lose hope, but always to bring our prayers before you; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.Luke 13:10-17Let us pray:We pray for St Peter’s Church and the Church throughout the world, for the strength and courage to share God’s love;We pray for the world, for reconciliation where there is conflict, for justice and peace;We pray for our communities, families and friends - for relationships to flourish;We pray for all who are sick or suffering, for healing in mind, body and spirit;We pray for people who have been bereaved, for comfort in their grief.Let us pray the prayer that Jesus taught us:Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done;on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses,as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory for ever and ever. Amen.Hymn: I danced in the morning when the world was begun...We are called and loved by God the Father, kept safe by God the Son and guided by God the Holy Spirit. May mercy, peace and love be ours in abundance, and may the blessing of God Almighty who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit rest upon us and and be with us always. Amen.Let us go in peace to love and serve the Lord, in the name of Christ. Amen.
I wonder how you came to faith. Maybe faith was a part of your parents` life and you took it on for yourself. Maybe it was a sudden realisation – a Damascus road experience – that made you look harder at the spiritual dimension of your life. It may be that you came to faith through a time of difficulty or perhaps through a time of great celebration in your life. You might have come to faith through the testimony of other people, and of your local church. It may be that you look back on a journey of faith, on which you are still travelling, helped by bible study, worship, music and hymns.What of the Virgin Mary whose ministry we remember today? She grew up in a household of faith. There seems to be no time when faith was unimportant to her. She grew up dreaming the dream of all Jewish people through the words of the prophets: that despite the struggles in their land by occupying forces, God would intervene and a Saviour, a Messiah, would come.Mary was an ordinary person to whom was entrusted an extraordinary calling. She was given the privilege of giving birth to Jesus. As a mother, she was instrumental in moulding him as a baby, a toddler, a youngster, a young man.That calling cost Mary every part of her life. When she received the news about what God was directing her to, there were many people round her who shared what to them was shocking news. Joseph her fiancé, her parents, the neighbours, the whole town of Nazareth, were all affected by Mary`s choice. There was no social media but people soon heard. The burden was on Mary alone, who was a mere teenager.There were lots of moments in her life when Mary faced terrible fear and confusion. As her child was presented in the Temple, the warning to her came from Simeon: `A sword will pierce your own soul too.` When Jesus was growing up, she and Joseph missed him on the way home from Jerusalem and had to face the confusion of his reply when they found him in the great Temple: `Why were you searching for me? Didn`t you know I had to be in my Father`s house?`Mary faced apparent rejection by her Son. In the account in Matthew 12, Mary and Jesus` brothers are asking for him. There was a stark reply from her son, pointing beyond the present moment: `Who is my mother? And who are my brothers?` Pointing to his disciples, he said ` Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother. Mary`s love remained steadfast. She is named among the disciples who were praying following Jesus` resurrection. She was there at the Cross and beyond.With Mary`s `yes`, history was changed. She has taught us something unique about God. In our Gospel, we hear her words in what has become known as The Magnificat.Mary describes God`s working in the Magnificat in the past tense: he has performed mighty deeds with his arm, he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. ` The kingdom of God has come and the kingdom is evolving through Mary`s ministry and through the ministry of the first Christians.It is true of us today. Like Mary, we are called by name, just as we are, in the places where we live. Nazareth was an unlikely place for Mary to receive the call of God. Sheringham and all the places represented here today are places where ordinary people are called and sent out to proclaim good news. We are called not to be afraid but to be open to God`s leading, just as we are, and to rely on the power of the Holy Spirit. The powerful testimony of Fr Andrew last week reminds us of God`s presence and the power of the Holy Spirit in each of our lives.We look at Mary and perhaps feel daunted by her. The blue robe of purity and humility in which she is often portrayed, Mary Blue, is there in the figure in our stained glass window; her willingness to be used by God and be described as blessed: those things are enabled by a simple fact, one which we celebrate as we come to the Lord`s Table. Mary knew herself to be loved by God, loved beyond measure, loved beyond imagination. She would do anything for her Lord. She knew who he was which defined who she was. She would do anything for her Lord. And as you and I progress along the journey of faith, we too join in her celebration, in the dance she leads, in the power of the Holy Spirit as God says to his church in Sheringham today: `I love every one of these.`Here are her words of celebration in the Magnificat: `my soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour. Holy is his name. He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful.` As we say `yes` to God, with Mary, we celebrate that we belong to him. We celebrate the joy of knowing him and being loved by him. He speaks your name today. He loves us as we are today. He calls us to the adventure of faith and new life in him.God has taken the initiative – God the Lord, the Saviour, the Powerful One, the Holy One, the Merciful One, the Faithful One. God is the ultimate reason to celebrate. As Mary accepted God`s call, she understood something greater within her life – the reason to live. Through her ministry she has enabled us to understand who we truly are: loved by God, a special member of his family, encouraged to call him not almighty but `abba`, `father`, `daddy.` Our Epistle reading reminds us: `So you are no longer a slave, but God`s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.` God loves us. That is our reason to celebrate today and every day. That is our reason for living.The Revd Pat Hopkins
