Sunday Worship 27th March

 Sunday Worship

Everyone is most welcome to join us for our worship on Mothering Sunday, the Fourth Sunday in Lent. The services are at the usual times of 9.15 am at St Agnes' and 11.00 am at St Thomas'

If you're not able to be with us in person, you'll find some worship resources below.

Our first hymn this morning is "Bread is Blessed and Broken"

Today's Gospel

Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32                The Parable of the Lost Son                

All the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to Jesus. And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, "This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them." 

So Jesus told them this parable:

"There was a man who had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, 'Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.' So he divided his property between them. A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and travelled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. 

So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself he said, 'How many of my father's hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands."' 

So he set off and went to his father. But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him. Then the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' But the father said to his slaves, 'Quickly, bring out a robe--the best one--and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!' And they began to celebrate.

"Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. He replied, 'Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.' Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. But he answered his father, 'Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!' Then the father said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.'"

Reflection

If you have a few minutes to peruse the Bible this week you may want to look at verses 4-14, (which are in the gap between the opening of today’s reading and the end verses). 

First there is the parable of the Lost Sheep followed by the parable of the Lost Coin. I’m sure when you read them you will be as familiar with both passages as you are the one above which is of course the parable of the Lost Son or some of you may know it as The Prodigal Son. 

All of these parables tell us about the loss of something or someone important to the us, the trials and stress of the search, the relief and joy when what has been lost is found and the celebration that ensues afterwards.  

In the story of the prodigal son there are also moral considerations apart from just the sense of the father’s loss. 

The prodigal son made some conscious decisions and not only did he waste part of his life and squander a considerable amount of his father’s wealth - he acted from total selfishness. He hadn’t stopped for a moment to consider the impact on his father, brother or the rest of the family who must have suffered some hardship from having to dispose of half their assets and farmland. 

Even when he has his ‘eureka’ moment and decides to go back to his family, this is still motivated by the selfish thought that he would be better off as a servant for his father. He considered that the ‘grass would now be now greener on the side on the fence he had come from’.

Nonetheless, despite the selfish ways of the prodigal son, the father is overjoyed when he sees his son. We read that he saw him coming whilst he was still far off and we can only image how much he must have missed him and how many hours he stood watching in hope that he would return some day. He obviously still loves him deeply. 

As the father explains to his elder disgruntled son, his love is abundant enough to go around and encompass both the loyal and obedient offspring and the one who strayed from home. 

More importantly it is his decision alone to love them both and not the responsibility of the other son to pass judgement or dictate his father’s actions. That is the point that Jesus needed to make in order to reassure the great and the good in the religious community who were grumbling that he was also associating with the tax collectors and sinners.

Likewise, it is not for us to say that one person is more deserving of God’s grace than another or make our own judgements.  That is indeed Good News for us all, for we have all sinned at some time 

Thankfully, God’s love is so vast that He sent his only Son to die for our sins.   

Paul

This week's Lent reflection by Bishop Mark Davies can be watched here -

Our Prayers

Holy Father,

we thank you for your abundant love,

and that when we stray,

you are there to guide us

and call us back to your ways.

Caring Lord,

Help us seek your grace,

your endless your compassion

and the blessings you are eager to give us.

Amen

Our final hymn today is "For All The Saints, Who From Their Labours Rest"