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How well did you do?
Hopefully, you weren't keeping score on how many you have had?
Thanks to Mike for keeping our minds active!
Gospel of the Day (Luke 12,39-48)
Jesus said to his disciples: “Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour when the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into.
You also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come."
Then Peter said, "Lord, is this parable meant for us or for everyone?"
And the Lord replied, "Who, then, is the faithful and prudent steward whom the master will put in charge of his servants to distribute (the) food allowance at the proper time?
Blessed is that servant whom his master on arrival finds doing so.
Truly, I say to you, he will put him in charge of all his property.
But if that servant says to himself, 'My master is delayed in coming,' and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants, to eat and drink and get drunk,
then that servant's master will come on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour and will punish him severely and assign him a place with the unfaithful.
That servant who knew his master's will but did not make preparations nor act in accord with his will shall be beaten severely;
and the servant who was ignorant of his master's will but acted in a way deserving of a severe beating shall be beaten only lightly. Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.”
Reflections for 30th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Thank you, Deacon Vincent, for your reflections on this weekend's scripture readings.
1st Reading Exodus 22: 20-26.
This is what makes the difference between God’s law and the law of neighbouring cultures, “God is merciful.” Verse 26. Here we see God’s priorities, namely, care for strangers (immigrants), care for widows and orphans, no usury, no taking advantage of another’s misfortune, and no taking a person’s necessities of life in payment of debt. He wholeheartedly is on the side of the unfortunates and dispossessed, and if that is where God’s heart is, then, ours should also follow his. The measure we give, is the measure we receive from Him.
Psalm 17: 2-4, 47-51.
This is a song of victory ascribed to David after his escape from his enemies and Saul. The lesson for us is always to remember that our deliverance is always at the behest of God, not our own ingenuity, but the gift of wisdom handed to us from the hand of God himself. We should always be thankful for all the good things in life.
2nd Reading St. Paul to the Thessalonians 1st Letter, 1: 5-10.
This is part of Paul’s thanksgiving introduction to his letter, he only managed to preach there on three sabbaths before being hustled out of town by his fellow Jewish compatriots, so it is amazing that his short stay should have produced such fruits of the Holy Spirit, working through the Risen Christ. Thessalonica was on a busy trading route, so their living out the Gospel life, with little support spread wide and far and was bearing fruit elsewhere. It is interesting to note that it is by the example of living the Gospel life that is the real voice of Evangelisation, rather than the words of an articulate preacher. It was Paul’s example of living the Gospel life, with power, that transformed the Thessalonians, and they in their turn, following Paul’s example of living, were also spreading the Good News. May we also be inspired to really live the Gospel life.
Gospel according to Matthew 22: 34-40.
This is the third attack on Jesus in Matthew’s record of these skirmishes with the religious leaders of his day. They are now, really passionate, to bring Jesus down, so they task him with explaining the most important of the 613 precepts of the Torah. This was a common enough question amongst Jewish thinkers of the day. In this Gospel Jesus shuts them up with a quote from Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18. After these attacks they stopped questioning him anymore. The Chief priests and elders will now move to the courtyard of the High Priest Caiaphas; and prepare a plot to arrest Jesus and kill him. The crux of the Gospel centres on love of God and love of our neighbour, for God’s sake. It is love, which is the operative word in the Gospel life, but also, we mustn’t forget it is also God’s love for us, that he sent his only Son, Jesus Christ to pay the price of our ransom from sin and death. That price, paid in the precious blood of Jesus, will enable the Spirit to come in power and transform our lives into living stones in the new temple of God. It is a challenge for us, but with the help and inspiration of the Holy Spirit, speaking to us through these Gospels, we can achieve the transformation of our lives into true living examples of the Gospel life.
May God Bless us all in this great endeavour. Deacon Vincent
CAFOD Prayer
This Harvest, we continue to pray for all those who are struggling due to coronavirus. Grant us the courage not to rush back to our old ways, but to rebuild our world together, with equality and peace for all.
"Messing about on the river"
We just had to share this report and photo from BBC Radio Bristol:
"Oh no!! This boat's stuck on the slipway at Knightstone Island.
It was heading to Birnbeck Pier to survey the site - but the team had to abort when the boat got lodged. It'll be there 'til 10pm when the tide comes in."
We hope it floated away safely last night?
Pope Francis on Twitter:
The “gospel” of save yourself is not the Gospel of salvation. It is the falsest of the apocryphal gospels, making others carry the cross. Whereas the true Gospel bids us take up the cross of others. #Peaceandfraternity
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