Parishioner's Gospel reflection
Sell your possessions and get treasure that does not wear out.
7 August 2022: 19th Sunday of the Year (Cycle C)
Parishioner’s Gospel
Contributor: Ian Insley
Luke 12:32-48
We live in difficult times at the moment. While our sufferings in this country may be nothing compared to what is happening in the Ukraine or the Yemen, they are still real enough for very many people. People are struggling to pay bills and even feed their children.
At times like this, the massage of Jesus to sell your possessions and get treasure that does not wear out seems to be irrelevant and beside the point. We cannot manage with what we have, the argument goes, how would we manage if we didn’t have even that?
I think the message is slightly different: there is nothing wrong with earthly possessions: what Jesus is pointing out (as in last week’s gospel) is that these should not be our first priority in life. What is important is our relationship with God. He knows what we need and he takes care of us. Our relationship with God should be the most important thing in our life.
This is not to diminish the hardships that we face: they are very real and all of us who can help others should be trying to do so.
Jesus’ parable about servants waiting for their master is not the only example of a servant/master relationship in the Gospels. Clearly this concept was a familiar one in those times and people could understand this context. What does it mean for us?
I think it means that we should all be living our lives as if we expect Jesus’ second coming to be happening soon: the early Christians believed that the second coming was imminent and lived accordingly. They shared their possessions according to need: why do you need possessions when Jesus is coming back?
We have rather lost touch with that idea and this Gospel is a reminder that we do not know when Jesus will return to earth and, as we have been given much in terms of possessions and knowledge of His teachings, much will be expected of us.
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14 August 2022: Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Parishioner’s Gospel
Contributor: Caroline Grainger
Luke 1:39-56
Mary, a young teenage girl pregnant and single in a society where that was really not acceptable goes to visit her much older cousin. I sometimes think Elizabeth's heroic role is under emphasised - her belief in Mary and trust in God must have been pivotal in assuring Mary that God would see her through.
Yet what of Mary herself? The image we often have of her is of someone gentle and meek in her obedience, almost passive. But when I read the words of the Magnificat that is not what I hear. It is a song of strength, almost defiance, exalting herself "all generations will call me blessed" but not in a way that speaks of arrogance but in deep faith and gratitude, giving glory to God for the great things he has done and will do. Sometimes I reflect the biggest challenges in life and the biggest gifts are one and the same thing though we don't always realise that at the time.
I wonder how often I remember to thank God up front for life's challenges in faith that they are gifts in disguise?
Probably not often enough but maybe that's somewhere I could try harder.
Parishioner’s Gospel
Contributor: Ian Insley
Luke 12:32-48
We live in difficult times at the moment. While our sufferings in this country may be nothing compared to what is happening in the Ukraine or the Yemen, they are still real enough for very many people. People are struggling to pay bills and even feed their children.
At times like this, the massage of Jesus to sell your possessions and get treasure that does not wear out seems to be irrelevant and beside the point. We cannot manage with what we have, the argument goes, how would we manage if we didn’t have even that?
I think the message is slightly different: there is nothing wrong with earthly possessions: what Jesus is pointing out (as in last week’s gospel) is that these should not be our first priority in life. What is important is our relationship with God. He knows what we need and he takes care of us. Our relationship with God should be the most important thing in our life.
This is not to diminish the hardships that we face: they are very real and all of us who can help others should be trying to do so.
Jesus’ parable about servants waiting for their master is not the only example of a servant/master relationship in the Gospels. Clearly this concept was a familiar one in those times and people could understand this context. What does it mean for us?
I think it means that we should all be living our lives as if we expect Jesus’ second coming to be happening soon: the early Christians believed that the second coming was imminent and lived accordingly. They shared their possessions according to need: why do you need possessions when Jesus is coming back?
We have rather lost touch with that idea and this Gospel is a reminder that we do not know when Jesus will return to earth and, as we have been given much in terms of possessions and knowledge of His teachings, much will be expected of us.
******************************************
14 August 2022: Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Parishioner’s Gospel
Contributor: Caroline Grainger
Luke 1:39-56
Mary, a young teenage girl pregnant and single in a society where that was really not acceptable goes to visit her much older cousin. I sometimes think Elizabeth's heroic role is under emphasised - her belief in Mary and trust in God must have been pivotal in assuring Mary that God would see her through.
Yet what of Mary herself? The image we often have of her is of someone gentle and meek in her obedience, almost passive. But when I read the words of the Magnificat that is not what I hear. It is a song of strength, almost defiance, exalting herself "all generations will call me blessed" but not in a way that speaks of arrogance but in deep faith and gratitude, giving glory to God for the great things he has done and will do. Sometimes I reflect the biggest challenges in life and the biggest gifts are one and the same thing though we don't always realise that at the time.
I wonder how often I remember to thank God up front for life's challenges in faith that they are gifts in disguise?
Probably not often enough but maybe that's somewhere I could try harder.