Sunday Worship
Welcome to Sunday Worship in Leesfield Parish on the Third Sunday before Advent. This morning’s service will be at St Thomas’ Church at 9.30 am, with no service at St Agnes’. It will be a short Service of the Word, with no hymns, and the names of the servicemen from our parish who died during the two World Wars will be read out and commemorated.
Following our own service, we will assemble at Lees Library at 10.15, together with the Royal British Legion, fellow Christians from Churches Together in Lees and District, uniformed organisations, and members of the local community. We will then process to Lees Cemetery for the annual Service of Remembrance.
Our first hymn this morning is "Make Me a Channel of Your Peace"
Today's Gospel
Matthew 25:1-13 Parable of the Ten Virgins
Jesus said, “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, all of them became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look! Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those bridesmaids got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise replied, ‘No! there will not be enough for you and for us; you had better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ And while they went to buy it, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet; and the door was shut. Later the other bridesmaids came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I do not know you.’ Keep awake therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”
Reflection
Are you the sort of person who always sets off in plenty of time to get to an appointment or stocks up with essential items just in case you can’t get to the shops? Or are you the sort of person who is always on the last minute and then start to panic if you’re in a traffic jam because you’ll be late? Perhaps you’re the sort of person who always waits until the needle on the fuel gauge is well in the red believing there will be plenty of time to get fuel. You haven’t considered that there may be a diversion on the road or that the garage will be shut when you get there.
Whilst there are several aspects to this parable, the key point is are we prepared? In this case, are we prepared for the second coming of Jesus when we will all be judged?
We can compare the oil for the lamps as a symbol of the Holy Spirit, that is sent to nourish and guide us and also to God’s grace.
We get this through belief and trust in Jesus and what he did for our salvation. Moreover by having an ongoing loving relationship with God. A relationship that happens every day not just occasionally.
Building that relationship, can of course come through reading or listening to scripture, even turning to scripture for comfort when we are struggling or facing difficult times. It also comes from praying regularly. That doesn’t have to be formal prayers or using a complex set format. It doesn’t have be at a set time of day or just once a day.
Rather, it can be finding some quiet time and just talking with God, silently in reflection and thought, or if you prefer, talking out loud. Telling God about what sort of day you’ve had so far; perhaps just thanking Him for something wonderful you’ve seen in creation as you walk along. Maybe, thanking Him for something that gone well that day and we can of course always talk to God about what’s troubling or worrying us.
If we have an active relationship with God, we will have His grace in abundance. God has grace in unlimited amounts, but it is not something that can be stocked up on at the last moment, or something that you can borrow from someone else. Each of us is responsible for acquiring our own grace, and no matter how busy our lives are, each of us responsible for building our relationship with a God who loves us so much that He sent His only son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. Paul
Notices
Next Sunday, the 19th November, we will be celebrating St Hugh’s Day with a Parish Eucharist at St Hugh’s School on Wildmoor Avenue, Holts. Revd. Chris will be leading this family-friendly service, which will be the only service in the parish on that day, and children from the school will be singing. If you would like to attend, but do not have transport, please contact your churchwardens and they will try to pair you up with someone who can take you.
