St John’s Church, Valentia
TUESDAY, 13 DECEMBER 2022 AT 19:30
Collect For Christ the King
Eternal God, you exalted Jesus Christ to rule over all things, and have made us instruments of his kingdom: by your Spirit empower us to love the unloved, and to minister to all in need, then at the last bring us to your eternal realm where we may be welcomed into your everlasting joy and may worship and adore you for ever: through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Jeremiah 23:1-6
Luke 23:33-43
28 November 2021. Advent Sunday – the Christian New Year’s Day. We looked forward to the Story that St Luke would tell in the year to come.
First of all, there would be the announcement of two forthcoming births – one born to be a messenger, telling people to prepare for the coming of the Messiah; one to give birth to a King whose reign will never end.
A very old, loyal woman will tell of prophecy fulfilled; a devout, patient believer will himself be blessed in blessing the newborn who will be a light to the nations.
The young man, Yeshua – or in English, Jesus – will begin His ministry with a Satanic test – an opportunity to use His birthright to gain wealth and power. A temptation He will refuse.
In the coming years, he will lead a small group of disciples, teaching them by example. He will heal. He will perform miracles. He will explain the true nature of God’s love for All His people – whoever they may be – man, woman, Jew, Greek, slave, free. He will offer freedom and forgiveness for the dregs and outcasts of society. He will reject false, self-centred leadership and replace it with servanthood. He will do all this, despite knowing that He will be persecuted by those whose only love is for themselves.
He will turn His face to Jerusalem, the theatre where His Destiny will be revealed – a destiny of unearned suffering for the sake of usually unrequited love.
And even at the last, in unbearable pain and humiliation, His unconditional and universal love will be demonstrated in His final words – the words of comfort to which we cling even when all hope appears lost. For today, and forever, He is Christ the King.
Truly I tell you; today you will be with me in paradise.
People ask how to discern truth from the well-crafted lies of the enemy. Protected by His promise, the answer is simple. In prayer, just ask whether you can see Jesus in their words and deeds.
We too are challenged to live as disciples. We have the benefit of scripture and history. We know that the story will end with Christ victorious.
He is the Way. On our journey, there will be signposts that will ensure we keep to the path. Prayer. Scripture. Worship. Spiritual guides. He walks alongside – even if sometimes we don’t recognise Him.
St Patricks Church, Kenmare
SATURDAY, 17 DECEMBER 2022 AT 14:00
Remembrance Collect
God of peace, whose Son Jesus Christ proclaimed the kingdom and restored the broken to wholeness of life: Look with compassion on the anguish of the world, and by your healing power make whole both people and nations; through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Isaiah 2:1-5 – The Future House of God
John 15:9-17
Remembrance Sunday. The image that immediately springs to mind is a Poppy – perhaps with the caption ‘Lest we forget’. An important message. But unfortunately, we have indeed forgotten. Rather than honouring those who laid down their lives for friends and family, the self-centred, power-hungry, money-driven state of the world is an insult not just to the memory of those lost in war, but also those today who are prepared to risk their lives for people they don’t even know.
The emergency services, fire, police, ambulance. Coastguards. Lifeboat crews. During Covid, Health service staff were given choruses of applause in thanks – but they remain understaffed, unacknowledged and underpaid. All too easily, we take for granted those who we rely upon to allow us to get on with our lives in security and comfort.
And, sadly, most of the time, we take our Saviour and Redeemer for granted too. Not intentionally, but by allowing the things of the world to take priority over obeying Jesus’ command to love my neighbour. We read Paul’s letter to Laodicea, and don’t realise that we’re just the same.
On Remembrance Sunday, we think about sacrifice and perhaps wear a poppy – but we then put it away until next year. Every Sunday, we worship and give thanks – but then Monday comes. Do we then get on with daily living, only calling upon Jesus when we’re in trouble? I suspect that often, we do. I know I do.
War, violence, hatred, anger have a basis in worldly sin, and we recognise that clearly – but equally sinful neglect of the poor (in every sense) is easily ignored – and so is neglect of our Saviour, and His supreme gift of freedom.
So on the eleventh day of the eleventh month, it is right to keep silence for the fallen, in every sphere of life, but unless we resolve to remember them as we remember Jesus – every day of the year – it means little.
You talk o’ better food for us, an’ schools, an’ fires, an’ all:
We’ll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational.
Don’t mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face
The Widow’s Uniform is not the soldier-man’s disgrace.
For it’s Tommy this, an’ Tommy that, an’ “Chuck him out, the brute!”
But it’s “Saviour of ‘is country” when the guns begin to shoot.
‘Tommy’ – Rudyard Kipling
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Collect for Trinity 21
2 Thessalonians 2: 1-5, 13-17
Matthew 22: 15-22
When politicians are being questioned on Radio or TV, a well-prepared interviewer will have a number of loaded questions or traps laid to which there will be no answer that doesn’t put the subject in a bad light. The classic one is ‘Have you stopped beating your wife?’ The answer ‘No’ implies you still do – ‘Yes’ implies you used to in the past. Outrageously protesting that you never started leads to listeners thinking there’s no smoke without fire, and that you might in the future. The only way to counter such loaded questions is to expose the motive of the questioner and the validity of the assumption the question is based upon.
‘Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor?’ If Jesus says ‘Yes’, the Anti-Roman Pharisees will have evidence that He condones the Roman occupation. If He says ‘No’, the Herodians will accuse Him of treasonous rebellion against the Government. One way or another, they’ve got the evidence they will need to condemn Him.
Or so they think.
The fallacy of the question is that it is based on the assumption that the two things are opposites; whereas in reality, they are not related. If you want infrastructure, it has to be paid for in taxes, and you’re probably better off with Roman project managers rather than relying on the incompetent leadership of Herod. The currency is a piece of metal called a denarius, the value and validity of which is supported and controlled by a Roman-based economy.
On the other hand, God’s currency is love. Unconditional love, expressed in service, justice, freedom. It is not based on physical things, coins, possessions, power; but grace. God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.