Jesus visits the Synagogue where his own faith had been nurtured,
and tells the people amongst whom he has lived that His is a mission
in the spirit of Isaiah 61, of release and liberation,
especially for those on the margins of society.
This "Mission Statement" of Christ's is for each of us who profess to follow Him.
When I have failed to be the good news that Jesus asks us to live out,
I ask for God's help....
I confess to almighty God
that I have greatly sinned,
in my thoughts and in my words,
in what I have done and in what I have failed to do,
through my fault, through my fault,
through my most grievous fault;
therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin,
all the Angels and Saints,
to pray for me to the Lord our God.
May almighty God have mercy on us,
forgive us our sins,
and bring us to everlasting life.
THE COLLECT Almighty ever-living God,
direct our actions according to your good pleasure,
that in the name of your beloved Son
we may abound in good works.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
GOSPEL OF LUKE, CHAPTER 4 He came to Nazara, where he had
been brought up, and went into the synagogue on the sabbath day
as he usually did. He stood up to read and they handed him the
scroll of the prophet Isaiah. Unrolling the scroll he found the place
where it is written:
The spirit of the Lord has been given to me,
for he has anointed me.
He has sent me to bring the good news to the poor,
to proclaim liberty to captives
and to the blind new sight,
to set the downtrodden free,
to proclaim the Lord’s year of favour.
He then rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the assistant
and sat down. And all eyes in the synagogue were fixed on him.
Then he began to speak to them,
‘This text is being fulfilled today even as you listen.’
GOOD NEWS - Good news means different things to different people.
But all would agree that finding a cure for something incurable
is good news; and it’s right to pray for those we know who are
struggling with their health.
Peace where there has been warfare and tyranny
– that’s good news. I remember the sense of relief at the great news
when Northern Ireland found peace after troubles that have been
off and on for decades.
Basics Banks, Food Banks, largely a Church and Community initiative,
is good news for those in genuine need.
We await good news for Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe,
imprisoned in Iran,
and for those in many parts of the world under the constant threat
of tyranny, cruelty and loss of family.
In Nazareth Synagogue Jesus gave His Mission Statement:
good news to the poor,
proclaiming liberty to captives,
new sight to the blind,
freedom to the oppressed,
proclaiming jubilee –
This is why Jesus came two thousand years ago;
This is the challenge He has for you and me two thousand years later,
as Christians today.
Any of you who watch “Call the Midwife”
will see stories, based on truth, of Anglo-Catholic Nuns
being good news in the darkness of Poplar, East London
extending the Kingdom of God to where it was least evident.
That is Anglo-Catholic Christianity at its best.
Bringing good news to the poor, liberty to captives,
freedom to the oppressed….
How can I bring good news to the poor?
How can I help someone to find liberation from, for instance,
constant debt because they simply can’t manage,
or are below the poverty line
or are desperately in need of liberation from an addiction,
or need release from a constant worry,
a deep-seated fear.
What would be good news to you?
What would liberation mean to you?
What does oppression and / or captivity mean to you?
From what would you like release, liberation? Pray for it
What would be the best of good news for you? Pray for it.
If we live as people who listen to what Jesus has to say
at Nazareth Synagogue, we will disturb the same sectors of society
that Jesus did.
If we listen to Jesus of Nazareth,
it will move us to make a difference.
TIME FOR PRAYER Keep us, good Lord,
under the shadow of your mercy
in this time of uncertainty and distress.
Sustain and support the anxious and fearful,
and lift up all who are brought low;
that we may rejoice in your comfort
knowing that nothing can separate us from your love
in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Lord Jesus Christ, you taught us to love our neighbour, and to care for those in need as if we were caring for you. In this time of anxiety, give us strength to comfort the fearful, to tend the sick, and to assure the isolated of our love, and your love, for your name’s sake.
God of compassion, be close to those who are ill, afraid or in isolation. In their loneliness, be their consolation; in their anxiety, be their hope; in their darkness, be their light; through him who suffered alone on the cross, but reigns with you in glory,Jesus Christ our Lord.
Be with us, Lord, in all our prayers, and direct our way toward the attainment of salvation, that among the changes and chances of this mortal life, we may always be defended by your gracious help.
At the Saviour’s command
and formed by divine teaching, we dare to say:
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.
Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil,
graciously grant peace in our days,
that, by the help of your mercy,
we may be always free from sin
and safe from all distress,
as we await the blessed hope
and the coming of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
For the kingdom,
the power and the glory are yours
now and for ever.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world,
have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world,
grant us peace.
SPIRITUAL COMMUNION
My Jesus, I believe that You are present
in the Most Holy Sacrament.
I love You above all things,
and I desire to receive You into my soul.
Since I cannot at this moment
receive You sacramentally,
come at least spiritually into my heart.
I embrace You as if You were already there
and unite myself wholly to You.
Never permit me to be separated from You.
THE BLESSING
Lord Jesus Christ, you said to your disciples,
‘I am with you always’.
Be with me today, as I offer myself to you.
Hear my prayers for others and for myself,
and keep me in your care. Amen.
May God the Father, Judge all-merciful,
make us worthy of a place in his kingdom.
May God the Son, coming among us in power,
reveal in our midst the promise of his glory.
May God the Holy Spirit make us steadfast in faith,
joyful in hope and constant in love.
May the blessing of Almighty God,
the Father, the Son, ✠ and the Holy Spirit
come down upon you, and remain with you for ever. Amen.
THE ANGELUS The angel of the Lord brought tidings unto Mary
And she conceived by the Holy Ghost.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of our death. Amen.
Behold the handmaid of the Lord.
Be it unto me according to thy word.
Hail Mary…..Holy Mary……
.
And the Word was made flesh.
And dwelt amongst us.
Hail Mary…..Holy Mary……
Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
We beseech thee, O Lord, pour thy grace into our hearts, that as we have known the Incarnation of thy Son Jesus Christ by the message of an angel, so by his Cross and Passion we may be brought unto the glory of his Resurrection; through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
Let us bless the Lord.
Thanks be to God.