Croeso! Bore da! Welcome to you all on this Sunday.
Please do make yourself known to me if you are popping in or if I can help in any way.
+Yn enw'r Tad, a'r Mab, a'r Ysbryd Glan. Amen
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. AMEN
Our opening Hymn is: Praise my soul
Heavenly Father, all hearts are open to you.
No secrets are hidden from you.
Purify us with the fire 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
May God our Father,
who by the Lord Jesus Christ
has reconciled the world to himself
and forgives the sins of all who truly repent,
pardon and deliver us from all our sins,
and grant us the grace and power of the Holy Spirit. AMEN
The Gloria
Collect for the third Sunday after Trinity
Almighty God,
you have broken the tyranny of sin
and have sent the Spirit of your Son into our hearts
whereby we call you Father:
give us grace to dedicate our freedom to your service,
that we and all creation may be brought
to the glorious liberty of the children of God;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you
and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever. AMEN
Word of God
Psalm 1071-3 23-32 1 O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever. 2 Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, those he redeemed from trouble 3 and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south.[a] 23 Some went down to the sea in ships, doing business on the mighty waters; 24 they saw the deeds of the Lord, his wondrous works in the deep. 25 For he commanded and raised the stormy wind, which lifted up the waves of the sea. 26 They mounted up to heaven, they went down to the depths; their courage melted away in their calamity; 27 they reeled and staggered like drunkards, and were at their wits’ end. 28 Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he brought them out from their distress; 29 he made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed. 30 Then they were glad because they had quiet, and he brought them to their desired haven. 31 Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wonderful works to humankind. 32 Let them extol him in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.
The Gospel of Christ according to St Mark
Glory to you. O Lord.
Mark 4:35-41
35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” 36 And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. 37 A great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. 38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him up and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” 39 He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. 40 He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?” 41 And they were filled with great awe and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”
This is the Gospel of the Lord
Praise to you, O Christ.
Homily.
Early on in my ministry I supported a lady who was terminally ill in hospital prepare for her death. She was a practising Christian, but was a very angry person. She was angry that she was angry, angry with her family, friends, the medics, the hospital and God and I feel sure probably angry with me at times. She hadn’t come to me in the usual way of requesting a chaplain’s visit, but rather because of her anger was referred by the ward staff. She dismissed psychologists, hospice nurses and such like; she refused to see her own priest and to see her family at times. We spent time together and generally it was ok but she was so frightened and determined she would beat her medical problem. She was terrified of all that she would leave behind so it was easier not to face that, after all she had been here last week and would be next week. Terror and fear clouded her faith, her judgement, her love and it was hidden under a blanket of anger which covered all of her and her family. She died a few weeks later, still angry but less so, more resigned to her lot and receiving her family to visit and able to plan her funeral. I will never forget her and her allowing me to journey with her in her time of aloneness and terror.
In the Gospel today we hear of Jesus, out of the Sea of Galilee, when one of those sudden violent and commonplace storms erupted. The disciples although well used to such storms are frightened we are informed and wake the Lord up in their fear. This is the miracle of the stilling of the storm, a miracle revolving around nature and not people, and shows clearly the authority that Jesus had. There are things which point to the fact that maybe the story of this miracle maybe isn’t wholly factual. After all the disciples had amongst them, skilled and experienced fishermen on Galilee and would have known well these furious and sudden storms that seemingly come from no-where an disappear just as quickly, and how to cope with them So why would they wake a sleeping Jesus up, terrified? Also was it really natural that Jesus however tired and exhausted would sleep through such a storm in the stern? However Jesus trusted his disciples too, and had total faith in God when in such danger. Jesus calmed the wind using the same verb which was used for rebuking an unclean spirit It was a “dead calm” sea meaning the waters were flat like a mill pond and there was now no wind at all.
It was after peace and calmness was restored that Jesus asked Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith? Jesus was confident in his faith, that God would protect him and the disciples are like frightened idiots we are led to believe or was it about the fact that despite being with Jesus and seeing his works and hearing his word that they still don’t understand and believe what is happening? They are confused.
When we have a situation which is perturbing fearful or frightening we may lose hold on normality while we explore what is wrong, can it be rectified where are we, in this upset and so on? There are those who will turn from God despite have a strong faith much like the lady I described earlier. There are those who just don’t understand things but hold to faith, however simplistic and muddle through. There are those who through a challenge of faith in a particular situation actually grow closer to God and may be even discover a living faith which is deeper and more powerful. A faith, which is bigger than themselves, bigger than just in nature,but something greater and beyond – God in Christ Jesus. Faith is something we journey with, becoming often stronger deeper over the years but it does involve us in trust. It does not always take us where we want to be and can shake that which we thought secure.
The lady I mentioned at the beginning of this homily had initially what she thought had a strong faith, but news of her serious health issues challenged her in ways she could never have dreamt about or understood, but in the end she surfaced in her dying, with a faith that had now changed her and her understanding of God. We too are challenged in our faith to recognise the God who has all authority and wants our response to this.
Prayers of Intercession and Lord's Prayer
Let us pray for an increase in our love for one another;
that we may have eyes that recognise the needs of our neighbours,
and then hearts that respond.
Lord in your mercy:Hear our prayer
Let us in prayer recall all who are involved in pastoral care in the life of the Church, for our Team here in Glamorgan Heritage Coast Ministry Area for the Ordained Edwin, Craig, Emma who will join us soon and Rhian and Penny Keith Sue, Hazel and Bill. For Lay pastoral visitors. and especially for our Ordinand Rick to be ordained Deacon this Saturday.
- for all who share Christ’s gracious forgiveness and healing love amongst individuals and our communities.
Lord in your mercy:Hear our prayer
We pray for those seeking an answer for their questions, doubts and fears; for all longing and hoping for a future with purpose and meaning. We bring before you all those who suffer at this time whether in body, mind or spirit. that they may know your healing touch upon their lives.
Lord in your mercy:Hear our prayer
Generous God we name before you all those who have died and revealed Christ to us. We name Jane, Joyce and any known to ourselves, For those who have anniversaries at this time that they all might rest in peace and rise in glory.
Lord in your mercy:Hear our prayer
Lord, might eyes to be opened to all that is offered; for his gift of life, hope and promise given through his Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour. Pray for those who God has entrusted to your heart; all whom you pray for and hold before God this day, and all days.
Merciful Father: Accept these prayers for the sake of your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done;
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory,
for ever and ever. AMEN
Our concluding hymn is: You shall go out with joy
The Lord be with you
And also with you.
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.
Ewch mewn tangnefedd i garu a gwasanaethu'r Arglwydd.
If you would like to donate £5 to the overall work of the 12 churches in the parish, please carefully text: GIVE5 to 70970. Thank you, diolch yn fawr.
