Croeso and welcome to our worship this fifth Sunday of Easter.
Do if possible, let me know where you are following this from either on the blog or by emailing me. Thanks. I would love to know if we are mainly parish based, or do we flow beyond the parish.
+ In the name of the Father,
and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit AMEN
Alleluia! Christ is risen,
He is risen indeed. Alleluia!
Our opening hymn today is: Christ is made the sure foundation
Heavenly Father, all hearts are open to you.
No secrets are hidden from you.
Purify us with the love of your Holy Spirit
That we may love and worship you faithfully,
through Jesus Christ Our Lord. Amen
Lord, have mercy Lord, have Mercy
Christ, have mercy Christ, have mercy
Lord, have mercy Lord, have mercy
Heavenly Father,
we have sinned in thought, word and deed,
and have failed to do
what we ought to have done.
We are sorry and truly repent.
For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ
who died for us, forgive us all that is past,
and lead us in his way
to walk as children of light. AMEN
Collect for Fifth Sunday of Easter.
O God, the protector of all who trust in you, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy: increase and multiply upon us your mercy; that with you as our ruler and guide we may so pass through things temporal that we finally lose not the things eternal; grant this, heavenly Father, for our Lord Jesus Christ’s sake, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.
Reading
John 14:1-14 NRSV
14 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe[a] in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?[b] 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And you know the way to the place where I am going.”[c] 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you know me, you will know[d] my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
8 Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves. 12 Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If in my name you ask me[e] for anything, I will do it.
Reflection Today we are pleased that Rick, our Ordinand is leading our reflection. We are glad to know that Rick, Catherine and Alexander are now recovered from a nasty dose of Covid-19.
Reflection for 10th May 2020 John 14 1-14
As we take our virtual pilgrimage to Ireland this weekend, it reminded me of an actual trip I took to Ireland about 4 years ago. My son Kieran a keen motorcyclist, had suggested that me and him should go on a road trip on our motor bikes to explore the Emerald Isle for a few days. After the ferry from Anglesey to Dublin we headed towards Cork but on the way, we saw the signs for the Wick mountains. Though it was getting late we decided to detour and take a look. We of course had no map, or Sat Nav but just our phones so just followed the signs. As you can imagine we eventually run out of signs and the roads became narrower and our fuel was beginning to run low and the temperature started to drop and we got to the point of being lost and with no phone signal high up in the mountain we began to feel very isolated and alone and a sudden realisation that all we had at this point was each other.
During the past few weeks millions of us have felt isolated and alone, even in the company of others it can still be a lonely world for some. As we struggle to come to terms with the changing world we live in and the new normal, the one constant in our lives is our faith. In today`s Gospel we hear Jesus say one of the most iconic truths within the bible “I am the way, the truth, the life”. It gives me great strength and comfort to hear those words today always knowing that Jesus is our way to the Father. Someone we can always turn to in a time of trouble to show us the truth and to guide us by his spirit in prayer to show us how life can be.
Over the past weeks we certainly have seen how life can be often for the good. Having recently moved to a new house in preparation for full-time Priest training in September, I have been so touched personally by some of the random acts of kindness from neighbours and people I did not know. Its those acts of kindness that I will remember from this crisis in years to come when I look back. In some ways this period of lock down has shown us a different way of life, one where our family, friends and neighbours have become our priority. Where we have learnt the importance of everybody and the role that they have in our lives and we have learnt to appreciate those roles that have kept the supermarkets open, the refuse taken away to name just two, many jobs that we may before have taken for granted perhaps.
As we head into the future, unsure of exactly what our lives will look like, I would like to remind us all of the first line of our Gospel passage today when Jesus said “Do not be worried and upset, believe in God and believe in me”. Now more than ever is the time for us to believe. To see how the spirit of God`s love can be seen in all people of all ages and from faith and non-faith backgrounds from the youngest drawing their “Thank You” rainbows to put in their windows to support the NHS, to Captain Tom walking laps of his garden to raise Millions for charity. So, as we head into our next week and who knows perhaps some alteration to the lock down lets not forget that he is always available to show us the way, to guide us with his truth and to show us a new way of life.
Intercessions
You Lord are the Way, the Truth and the Life.
We know that to follow you isn't an easy path, but we offer our prayers to you.
We pray for our world and its many leaders.
For a working together more closely throughout this pandemic.
Lord in your mercy Hear our prayer
We pray for the church especially the Church In Wales
We pray for Archbishop John, Bishop June and all clergy in Llandaff diocese.
We bring before you the clergy and Readers in our parish
and the continued but different ministries exercised now.
Lord in your mercy Hear our prayer
We remember our own communities.
For all shops, doctors, pharmacies, schools and nursing homes.
Let us return thanks for those who serve us and meet our needs
within the communities where we live.
For our neighbours and friends.
Lord in your mercy Hear our prayer.
We pray for all those who are ill at this time, whether in hospital or at home
For those who are really struggling with lockdown
and for all those who care in the community.
We pray especially for any we know who are ill..... Stephen, Mike and John.
Lord in your mercy Hear our prayer
We give thanks for those whom we have loved and known who have revealed Christ to us
and have now died.
We recall those whom we knew and mention them quietly now.....
I ask your prayers today for Robin and Jack.
May they rest in peace and rise in glory.
We pray for our loved ones, our friends and ourselves.
That we might continue to follow you as The Way, the Truth and the Life.
That you offer to us and those whom we love,
peace, joy and contentment even in troubled times.
Merciful Father: accept these prayers for the sake of your Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.
I arise today
Through a mighty strength:
God's power to guide me,
God's might to uphold me,
God's eyes to watch over me;
God's ear to hear me,
God's word to give me speech,
God's hand to guard me,
God's way to lie before me,
God's shield to shelter me,
God's host to secure me.
(first millenium - Bridgid of Gael. Sent in by Penny.
Our final hymn today is: O Jesus I have promised.
The Grace of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all now and ever more. AMEN
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
The Lord is risen. Alleluia!
He is risen indeed. Alleluia! Alelluia!
