Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.” John 6 : 56 - 58
Readings this week : Joshua 24 : 1 – 2a, 14 - 18; Ephesians 6 : 10 - 20; John 6 : 56 - 69
Thought for this week
CS Lewis wrote : “If you want a religion to make you feel really comfortable, I certainly don’t recommend Christianity”
The Lord undoubtedly does offer us His comfort in our daily lives and in the traumas and anxieties we face. Psalm 120 : 1, “I call on the Lord in my distress, and he answers me”. We can also know the real joy of belonging to the Lord in this world and of His presence with us through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Yet in our Gospel reading Jesus meets those who are listening with a challenge. That He is the one who has come from the Father in heaven. That hope and eternal life are alone found in Him, in Jesus. That Jesus offers Himself as the bread of life, and we are called to put our trust in Him, to depend on Him and receive Him as far beyond any strength and sustaining of worldly bread.
Jesus calls us to surrender all we are to Him, the one who has given His whole self to us. This is the way of the Cross. It is challenging, uncompromising, revealing and liberating. It certainly does not make for an easy life. Yet it brings fulness of life, even eternal life. However few we may seem at times, we are called to live in this radical, life – changing way in Jesus, our Saviour, Lord and Friend.
Rev Paul
Prayer for this week
Almighty God, who called your Church to bear witness that you were in Christ reconciling the world to yourself: help us to proclaim the good news of your love, that all who hear it may be drawn to you; through him who was lifted up on the cross, and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen
Almighty God, you search us and know us: may we rely on you in strength and rest on you in weakness, now and in all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
People to pray for
Those who have received exam results recently
For youngsters seeking work or exploring opportunities