Scripture & Reflection: Sunday 9th August and for the week ahead:Scripture: Then Jesus instructed the disciples to get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side while he dismissed the crowds. After he sent them away, he went by himself up on the mountain to pray. When evening came, he was there alone. Meanwhile, the boat was already some distance from the shore, battered by waves and a strong wind.During the fourth watch of the night, Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. When the disciples saw him walking on the water they were terrified, and they cried out in their fright, “It is a ghost!” But Jesus immediately spoke to them, saying, “Have courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.”Peter answered, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you across the water.” He said, “Come!” Then Peter got out of the boat and started walking on the water toward Jesus. But when he realized the force of the wind, he became frightened. As he began to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Jesus immediately reached out his hand and caught hold of him, saying, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” After they got into the boat, the wind died down. Those in the boat fell to their knees in worship, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.” Matthew 14:22-33Reflection:There are periods of calm in our lives, times of thankfulness and consolidation; there are periods of turbulence, of hurt, disappointment and grief; there are times of renewal, when we realise that the pain doesn’t hurt so much anymore, when hope and joy return.Through these seasons, these changes in the weather of our lives, in the calm and in the storm, Jesus is walking with us, ‘Take heart, it is I, do not be afraid.’ When we feel at sea; when we feel like a storm battered boat; when we need to make changes in our lives that require the courage to get out of the boat, or when change happens to us unexpectedly and we feel we are sinking, he is present to encourage us ‘Come’, or to reach out his hand in love to sustain us. We don’t face the storm alone.The prayer of a Breton fisherman: ‘O God, the sea is so wide, and my boat is so small: Be good to me.’ Sarah Emanuel
Scripture & Reflection: Sunday 2nd August and for the week ahead:Scripture: – The feeding of the five thousand:15When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, ‘This is a deserted place, and the hour is now late; send the crowds away so that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves.’ 16Jesus said to them, ‘They need not go away; you give them something to eat.’ 17They replied, ‘We have nothing here but five loaves and two fish.’ 18And he said, ‘Bring them here to me.’ 19Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven, and blessed and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 20And all ate and were filled; and they took up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve baskets full. (Matthew 14:15-20)Reflection:There’s a few things going on in this story. Firstly, Jesus tells his disciples to feed the crowds; and their response is, “We’ve got nothing!” How often is that our response to what God asks us to do? “I can’t do that!” Secondly, Jesus takes what is offered, blesses it, and uses it to God’s glory. Perhaps we should give to Jesus the little we think we can offer and see just what he can do with it. And thirdly, all ate….and were filled….and there were twelve full baskets left over. How did Jesus, did God, do that? I have absolutely no idea. But it shows just how generous God is; he provided abundantly.If you feel your offering to Jesus is insubstantial, give it, with a free and open heart; he will multiply whatever we give to him. It is when we give, without counting the cost, that miracles can happen.Revd David
Scripture & Reflection: Sunday 26th July and for the week ahead:Scripture:Jesus put before them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.’ He told them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.’ (Matthew 13.31-33)Reflection:It’s quite surprising to hear the Kingdom of Heaven described in such homely, everyday terms. A latecomer to gardening, I’ve never quite got over my amazement at seeing a tiny seed grow into a healthy plant, yielding beautiful blooms or even edible fruit. And I never fail to be astonished that such tiny amounts of yeast can transform a lump of dough, lightening its texture and doubling it in size. In such small, ordinary beginnings, says Jesus, we see the power of God at work. The majority of us are not people of power and influence, and yet in our undramatic everyday lives God can work in us to further his kingdom. Lord, take our lives, our words and our actions, and make them a blessing to others. Revd Rosemary
