After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. 2 He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. 3 Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves.   Luke 10 : 1 - 3

Readings this week Isaiah 66 : 10 - 14; Galatians 6 : 1 - 16; Luke 10 : 1 – 11, 16 - 20

Thought for this week

There has been an urgency in our Gospel readings. Last week Jesus was making haste in His mission, setting his face towards Jerusalem. Now He sends out the seventy – two, and tells them to travel light, and not stay in places where they are not made welcome, or where the Kingdom is not received.

We are all used to busy times. I spent years commuting within London. Morning and evening people moved like clockwork around the Underground. Yet all that haste was to just save a couple of minutes each end of the day.

Jesus is speaking about something else than haste for its own sake. He is speaking about the fullness of the Kingdom. It’s interesting the disciples are sent out ‘two by two’. A reminder of Noah’s Ark, when the flood has subsided, and the earth entered a fullness and a new growing time.

We are now in the time where our conversations, our acts of kindness, most of all our prayers count towards growing the Kingdom and enabling others to know Jesus’ salvation and love. We are called to live day by day, led by the Holy Spirit, and awake to the call of Jesus in people’s hearts. An exciting time, where we can be part of all that Jesus is doing. 

Rev Paul

Prayer for this week,

Almighty God, you have broken the tyranny of sin and have sent the Spirit

of your Son into our hearts whereby we call you Father: give us grace to dedicate our freedom to your service, that we and all creation may be brought to the glorious liberty of the children of God; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen

God our saviour, look on this wounded world in pity and in power; hold us fast to your promises of peace won for us by your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen

People to pray for

For those with celebrations at this time

For our parishes, for us to grow in hope and Jesus’ love

To give thanks for our building projects