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
Praying Together 6th November 2022
Human structures, societies and cultures will always eventually crumble. God’s Kingdom is everlasting. And it’s free for the asking.
Praying together 30th October 2022
Luke 18: 9-14Ephesians 1:11-23 ‘Saint’ Defn. #1: a person acknowledged as holy or virtuous and regarded in Christian faith as being in heaven after death. Well, I’m not dead yet (or at least I wasn’t at the time of writing.) So that’s not me. ‘Saint’ Defn. #2: a very...
Praying Together 23rd October 2022
We don’t stop doing right because of the fear of becoming proud – and we don’t let past failure stop us from living in His house.
Praying Together 16th October 2022
2 Timothy 3:14 - 4:5 Are we there yet? (Title courtesy of Marjorie)Just stop for a moment. Take a look around. How did you get to where you are at this instant in time? Now have a look into yourself, your heart and mind, and reflect on your journey in faith –...
Praying Together 9th October 2022
Collect for Trinity 17 Almighty God, you have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless till they find their rest in you: Teach us to offer ourselves to your service, that here we may have your peace, and in the world to come may see you face to face;through...
An Ordination at St Michael and All Angels, Waterville
On Thursday last, 29th September - the feast of Michaelmas - members of all four churches of our Union joined together to witness The Reverend Barbara Irrgang-Buckley being ordained Priest by the Bishop of Tuam Limerick and Killaloe, the Right Reverend Michael...
Praying Together 25th September 2022
Luke 16: 19-31 What will it take to convince you? With thanks to Anselm of Canterbury, and his inspiration Augustine of Hippo, there are two approaches to faith. (Excuse the Latin, but I had five years of it at school and I can’t help showing off sometimes as a...
Praying Together 18th September 2022
Luke 16: 1-13 To whom do we owe our allegiance? You cannot serve God and ‘wealth’ Bah. If ever there was a misleading Biblical translation, that’s it. It’s bad enough when the translated phrase reads ‘You cannot serve God and money’. Neither of those words...
Praying Together – 11 September 2022
Collect for Trinity 13 Almighty God, who called your Church to bear witness that you were in Christ reconciling the world to yourself: Help us to proclaim the good news of your love, that all who hear it may be drawn to you; through him who was lifted up on the...
Arthur and Martha: Christ the King
This is the day we remember that Jesus is the king of all the world and that He is the greatest king of all. Just imagine. Jesus is our very best friend, but He’s a king!
The Road to Emmaus | Luke 24: 13-35
The Road to Emmaus : Luke 24:13-35
Mary’s Story
Hello little one. Pleased to meet you. It’s been an eventful few months while I’ve been waiting for you to arrive. Let me tell you all about it.
It started on an ordinary day. I was going about as normal, feeding the chickens, tidying up and that sort of thing. I wasn’t really concentrating, I was thinking about my wedding to Joseph in a few weeks time.