Clergy Notes — Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost, August 22, 2021

Wildfires at home and further afield; earthquake in Haiti; covid-variants taking hold; countries torn apart by war and oppression — Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Myanmar; further revelations of the abuses at residential schools: I don’t know about you, but I find that just now I am approaching listening to or reading the news with some reluctance, and a heavy heart. It seems to be always bad news, and when I think it can’t get any worse, there is yet more!

And yet it is important to be aware of what is taking place in the world, to inform our prayer of intercession. We are invited to bear these things on our heart before God, praying for Christ’s light to shine, for the coming of God’s kingdom of justice, peace, and reconciliation.

Whilst we ourselves are unable to influence the global scheme of things, nonetheless we can be signs and pointers to God’s love, God’s care, God’s peace where we are, in our relationships and daily living. So in our prayers, when we pray for the needs of the world, let us pray too for ourselves, that Christ’s light will shine in and through us. You may find it helpful to use the Prayer of St. Francis, printed as our Reflection this week:

“Lord, make me an instrument of your peace, . . .”

Every blessing,

Fr. Kevin

 

Download the Sunday service booklet here: Liturgy at Home Pentecost 13 August 22 2021