Welcome to Sunday Worship in Leesfield Parish on the Eighth Sunday after Trinity. Our Church Services today are at the usual times of 9.15 am at St Agnes' and 11 am at St Thomas'.
If you are unable to be with us in person, you will find resources below to worship at home.
Our first hymn this morning is "O Lord, Hear My Prayer"
Today's Gospel
Mark 6:30-34, 53-56
The apostles gathered around Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught. He said to them, “Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a deserted place by themselves. Now many saw them going and recognized them, and they hurried there on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them. As he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and he began to teach them many things.
When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored the boat. When they got out of the boat, people at once recognized him, and rushed about that whole region and began to bring the sick on mats to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he went, into villages or cities or farms, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and begged him that they might touch even the fringe of his cloak; and all who touched it were healed.
Reflection Instictive Love
In today’s passage we see more than one example of Jesus’ love and compassion.
Firstly we hear how he was concerned for his disciples who had just returned from their evangelistic mission in pairs to spread the good news of God’s kingdom. They are bubbling over with excitement, so much so that in all their hard work and efforts they have neglected themselves. Have you ever done that? Have you found yourself so engrossed in doing something that you lose all track of time and forget to even eat or drink?
Jesus immediately recognises this and as is his nature, his first concern is for their welfare. He loves them and wants to look after them – to get them somewhere safe and quiet, to feed them and give them a chance to recover. Jesus knows that there is still plenty for them to do in the months and years ahead as they continue to build the kingdom and establish his church, even after he has gone.
But the best laid plans are thwarted when they are confronted by huge crowds who want to listen to his teaching and to be cured by his now famous healing power. It’s like you’ve been grafting non-stop and when you think you’re finally going to get a break the phone rings and someone is demanding help urgently. I think most of us might put our head in our hands and just ask, ‘can’t I get even a few minutes to myself?‘
But not Jesus – Lord of love and compassion. His heart goes out to them – he recognises the stress, pain and suffering in their lives and the despair that has driven them to walk on foot and in some cases drag themselves to see him - and he sees their hope. His instinct is not to run away and find somewhere else to rest but to show them his love.
His instinct, as always, is to put others first. Despite his own suffering; we should bear in mind that Jesus is truly human, he feels pain and loss. Like the disciples he is tired and he is also grieving for his cousin John the Baptist, who has just been gruesomely killed by Herod.
But despite all this, he instinctively reaches out to those in need. That same Jesus is there for us too. Jesus sees and understands each and every one of us.
He see the joy and success in our lives, the new born child, the happy times in our lives and the progress we make at school and in our careers. But he also sees the our failures, and fears – the things that cause us stress and anxiety.
This heavenly, divine Jesus who has experienced life on earth has the same compassion for us as he did with the people at Gennesaret and he sees and hears our fears and worries. When we talk or pray to him he listens. When we sit alone wondering how and when our lives will get back on track, turn to Jesus. We need to open our hearts to let his instinctive love fill and comfort us.
Whatever is troubling you, health, finances, loved ones or whatever - hold your hand out to Jesus; find a quiet space and imagine you are sitting with Jesus and the disciples. He is right there next to you and you can reach out and touch the fringe of his cloak. Breathe slowly and deeply and feel the power of his unbounded love flowing through your heart, let him begin to lighten the burden and let Jesus show you just how much you are totally loved by God the Father, who made you and cares for you.
Paul
Our Prayers
Most Merciful Father,
We all have troubles and fears,
things that overwhelm us and sometimes feel unsurmountable.
Help us to have confidence to reach out
to your loving son Jesus.
To trust in him,
knowing that he sees all we are carrying
and wants to compassionately wrap his cloak arounds us,
love us and fill our hearts with his peace.
Amen
Today's final hymn is "What a Friend we have in Jesus"
Notices
Today is the final Sunday School of the Summer Term, and we are all invited to join them for their Teddy Bears Picnic in the School Hall immediately after the service.
Whilst there is no Sunday School during the holidays, our families are most welcome to join our Sunday Worship at both churches, and attendance can still be recorded for school admissions.
Our usual 10 am Service of Holy Communion is on Tuesday at St Thomas’, and Worship for all Generations is at 6.30 pm on Tuesday and Wednesday at St Agnes’. This week’s Worship for all Generations is the first of our Outdoor Pet Services for the summer.
Next Sunday we have a Parish Eucharist at 10 am at St Thomas’, with no service at St Agnes’, and the following week we revert to our usual service times.
