A parishioner's Gospel reflection
Birth of John the Baptist
24 June 2018: Nativity of St John the Baptist:
Parishioner’s Gospel
Contributor: Ian Insley
Luke 1: 57-66,80
I am writing this on a Sunday evening after being away at an Alpha weekend (which was fantastic). Over the weekend we watched videos about the coming of the Holy Spirit. The speakers on the videos pointed out that in the Old Testament the Holy Spirit (sometimes called “the Spirit of the Lord” or something similar) was given to particular people at particular times for particular purposes. For example, Moses and David. God gave them the Holy Spirit to enable them to carry out the very specific tasks he had for them.
In contrast, Jesus promised the Holy Spirit would be given to everyone who believed in him and we have just celebrated the wonderful feast of Pentecost in which this promise was fulfilled. We read in Acts how the Apostles preached to people, baptised them and the Holy Spirit came upon them. We also read how the Holy Spirit was given to non-Jewish believers, to the astonishment of some of the early Christians who were Jews. It is as true today as it was when the Acts of the Apostles was written- the Holy Spirit comes to all who ask for it in Jesus’ name.
Today’s gospel reading is one of the last occasions when the Holy Spirit is given to a particular person for a particular purpose. John the Baptist is given the Holy Spirit for his mission of preparing the way for Jesus, in the phrase “the hand of the Lord was with him”. Incidentally, his father, Zechariah, also received the Holy Spirit for his prophecy in verses 67 to 79. After this, Jesus is the next person to whom the Holy Spirit is given as a “one off”.
Thanks to the promise Jesus made, we all have the benefit of having the Holy Spirit dwelling within us. The Holy Spirit allowed those who received it in the Old Testament to do great things for the Lord and their people.
I pray that we may all open our hearts to all ow the Holy Spirit to work in all of us so that we carry out the plans that God has for each one of us. We may not lead a people out of captivity or found a dynasty that ruled for centuries but we can each do the tasks that God has for us.
We can do His will because we have the Holy spirit within each one of us.
******************************
1 July 2018: 13th Sunday of the Year (Cycle B)
Parishioner’s Gospel
Contributor: Kim Insley
Mark 5: 21-43
Today’s gospel is two stories in one. Jairus asks Jesus to heal his daughter, and the women suffering from bleeding touches his garment believing that is all she needs to do in order to be healed.
I’ve always admired her. What huge faith! I wonder if mine is as strong, and know that frequently when our family is struggling or the children (okay, they are adults now, but they will always be our children) meet those challenges of early adulthood … job seeking, university, leaving home, driving tests and so on … I forget to trust in the Lord. Many of us try to believe, but it can be so hard to have faith like this woman. Of course, we shouldn’t just leave it to the Lord … we have to work ourselves, but some things are beyond our ability and then, like the woman in the gospel we need to just believe.
Jesus’ disciples don’t understand and wonder why Jesus is worried that someone had touched him. The poor woman, who is feeling so much better already, was very afraid because she knew the power that had healed her. But Jesus reassures her: ‘Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.” (v34). How wonderful! It often makes me wonder why people who had been healed by Jesus don’t just stop what they are doing and follow him. Early in this same chapter we have the man with the demons in him. Jesus sends them into the herd of pigs and that man asks to follow him, but Jesus sends him out to evangelise (v19). This woman is sent away too, to be freed from her suffering. So, all of us have different ways to respond to Jesus call. As disciples, we must tell others about Jesus, but how we follow him may be different to other people.
And then poor Jairus … he is told, not to ‘bother’ Jesus anymore because it is too late, his daughter is dead (v35). But Jesus reassures him and continues to his house. The story is familiar, the girl of 12 gets up and walks about when Jesus asks her to. The ups and downs of that day, and yet Jesus tells them “not to let anyone know about this” (v43). I often wonder why it actually got into the gospel in that case? The disciples, Peter, James and John, must have told others so that that Mark was able to retell the story. What should we take from this? Miracles still happen today – faith achieves wonderful things. Those of us who’ve lost someone would recognise the grief of Jairus and his family. But clearly this girls’ time was not due “The child is not dead but asleep.” (v39) Jesus says and he raises her. It shows us that God does not cause the bad things in our lives. A part of free will is the freedom of the planet to manage itself, the awful diseases we have in our society, cancers, diseases we have no cure for, such as Ebola may be no ones’ fault, but just part of life-cycles which sometimes affect us. Prayer can and does make a difference, although sometimes not in the way we expect.
This gospel is a reminder of the hope that our faith gives us. Jesus is with us all the time, but with our faith we need to reach out and touch him.
Parishioner’s Gospel
Contributor: Ian Insley
Luke 1: 57-66,80
I am writing this on a Sunday evening after being away at an Alpha weekend (which was fantastic). Over the weekend we watched videos about the coming of the Holy Spirit. The speakers on the videos pointed out that in the Old Testament the Holy Spirit (sometimes called “the Spirit of the Lord” or something similar) was given to particular people at particular times for particular purposes. For example, Moses and David. God gave them the Holy Spirit to enable them to carry out the very specific tasks he had for them.
In contrast, Jesus promised the Holy Spirit would be given to everyone who believed in him and we have just celebrated the wonderful feast of Pentecost in which this promise was fulfilled. We read in Acts how the Apostles preached to people, baptised them and the Holy Spirit came upon them. We also read how the Holy Spirit was given to non-Jewish believers, to the astonishment of some of the early Christians who were Jews. It is as true today as it was when the Acts of the Apostles was written- the Holy Spirit comes to all who ask for it in Jesus’ name.
Today’s gospel reading is one of the last occasions when the Holy Spirit is given to a particular person for a particular purpose. John the Baptist is given the Holy Spirit for his mission of preparing the way for Jesus, in the phrase “the hand of the Lord was with him”. Incidentally, his father, Zechariah, also received the Holy Spirit for his prophecy in verses 67 to 79. After this, Jesus is the next person to whom the Holy Spirit is given as a “one off”.
Thanks to the promise Jesus made, we all have the benefit of having the Holy Spirit dwelling within us. The Holy Spirit allowed those who received it in the Old Testament to do great things for the Lord and their people.
I pray that we may all open our hearts to all ow the Holy Spirit to work in all of us so that we carry out the plans that God has for each one of us. We may not lead a people out of captivity or found a dynasty that ruled for centuries but we can each do the tasks that God has for us.
We can do His will because we have the Holy spirit within each one of us.
******************************
1 July 2018: 13th Sunday of the Year (Cycle B)
Parishioner’s Gospel
Contributor: Kim Insley
Mark 5: 21-43
Today’s gospel is two stories in one. Jairus asks Jesus to heal his daughter, and the women suffering from bleeding touches his garment believing that is all she needs to do in order to be healed.
I’ve always admired her. What huge faith! I wonder if mine is as strong, and know that frequently when our family is struggling or the children (okay, they are adults now, but they will always be our children) meet those challenges of early adulthood … job seeking, university, leaving home, driving tests and so on … I forget to trust in the Lord. Many of us try to believe, but it can be so hard to have faith like this woman. Of course, we shouldn’t just leave it to the Lord … we have to work ourselves, but some things are beyond our ability and then, like the woman in the gospel we need to just believe.
Jesus’ disciples don’t understand and wonder why Jesus is worried that someone had touched him. The poor woman, who is feeling so much better already, was very afraid because she knew the power that had healed her. But Jesus reassures her: ‘Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.” (v34). How wonderful! It often makes me wonder why people who had been healed by Jesus don’t just stop what they are doing and follow him. Early in this same chapter we have the man with the demons in him. Jesus sends them into the herd of pigs and that man asks to follow him, but Jesus sends him out to evangelise (v19). This woman is sent away too, to be freed from her suffering. So, all of us have different ways to respond to Jesus call. As disciples, we must tell others about Jesus, but how we follow him may be different to other people.
And then poor Jairus … he is told, not to ‘bother’ Jesus anymore because it is too late, his daughter is dead (v35). But Jesus reassures him and continues to his house. The story is familiar, the girl of 12 gets up and walks about when Jesus asks her to. The ups and downs of that day, and yet Jesus tells them “not to let anyone know about this” (v43). I often wonder why it actually got into the gospel in that case? The disciples, Peter, James and John, must have told others so that that Mark was able to retell the story. What should we take from this? Miracles still happen today – faith achieves wonderful things. Those of us who’ve lost someone would recognise the grief of Jairus and his family. But clearly this girls’ time was not due “The child is not dead but asleep.” (v39) Jesus says and he raises her. It shows us that God does not cause the bad things in our lives. A part of free will is the freedom of the planet to manage itself, the awful diseases we have in our society, cancers, diseases we have no cure for, such as Ebola may be no ones’ fault, but just part of life-cycles which sometimes affect us. Prayer can and does make a difference, although sometimes not in the way we expect.
This gospel is a reminder of the hope that our faith gives us. Jesus is with us all the time, but with our faith we need to reach out and touch him.