To another he said, ‘Follow me.’ But he said, ‘Lord, first let me go and bury my father.’ But Jesus said to him, ‘Let the dead bury their own dead; but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.’ Another said, ‘I will follow you, Lord; but let me first say farewell to those at my home.’ Jesus said to him, ‘No one who puts a hand to the plough and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.’  Luke 9 : 59 – 62

Reading for this week : Luke 9 : 51 - 62

Thought for the week

In our Gospel reading today Jesus has a great sense of urgency. Jesus knows it His time to go to Jerusalem. To enter the confrontation and ordeal that will lead to the offer of salvation for all people. He knows His journey to the Cross will change everything in our relationship with God and brings us into a new age of the Lord’s love and welcome.

This is Jesus’ mission. To bring forgiveness and a new beginning. Yet in this mission Jesus calls His disciples to go with Him. He calls all who will follow, including us. All who will lay aside distractions and other demands, however worthy.

One of the biggest privileges we have each day is how to use our time. We are given this precious gift each day. The potential to use our time to bring Jesus’ life to others, to show they are precious to the Lord, to reveal Jesus’ Kingdom in our lives, to pray for the Lord’s presence and His hope.

Jesus knows the frustrations and distractions of every day. He came to share our lives with its times of joy as well as it’s times of hardship, and the times of waiting. Jesus calls each of us to fix our eyes on Him. To grow in His love. To live knowing that this now is the time of His Kingdom, the time of His hope.

Rev Paul

Prayers for this week

Collect for Trinity 2

Lord, you have taught us that all our doings without love are nothing worth:

send your Holy Spirit and pour into our hearts that most excellent gift of love, the true bond of peace and of all virtues, without which whoever lives is counted dead before you.

 For your only Son Jesus Christ’s sake

Bishop’s Prayer at Ordination

Through your Spirit, heavenly Father, give these your servants grace and to fulfil their ministry.

Make them faithful to serve and constant in advancing your gospel in the world.

May they follow the example of Jesus Christ your Son, who washed the feet of his disciples, and set the needs of others before his own.

May their life be disciplined and holy, their words declare your love and their actions reveal your glory,  that your people may walk with them in the way of truth and be made ready for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ;

to whom, with you and your Holy Spirit, belong glory and honour, worship and praise, now and for ever. Amen