NEXT SUNDAY, the 26th of July at 11am, we return to worship in our beautiful church. PLEASE click here, to read an important message from Fr Ron and the Church Council, outlining the conditions that apply for re-opening the church, and which are all designed for our safety!
A DATE for your diary. The Licensing Service for our chaplain Fr Ron Corne, postponed from March, will take place on Thursday 6th August at 11:30am. We welcome as our preacher the Archdeacon of Gibraltar, the Venerable David Waller.
The Collect for the Sixth Sunday after Trinity
Merciful God, you have prepared for those who love you such good things as pass our understanding: pour into our hearts such love toward you that we, loving you in all things and above all things, may obtain your promises, which exceed all that we can desire; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
Fr Ron’s Reflection on today’s readings
The Epistle Reading – Romans 8:12-15
Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.
For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”
The Gospel Reading – Mattahew 13:24-30,36-43
Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.
“The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’
“‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.
“The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’
“‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’”
Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.”
He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.
“As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear.”
Intercessions for the Sixth Sunday after Trinity
Everlasting God, we join together in praying to you for the needs the church, the world, our communities and ourselves, trusting in your love which reaches out from before the foundation of the world.
Lord in your mercy: hear our prayer.
Holy God, whenever we start to get offended by your generosity or open-mindedness, give us the grace to repent and join your rejoicing. Guard the Church against self-righteousness and all rules and limits which you would not own, but keep always before us the rule of love.
Lord in your mercy: hear our prayer.
Creator God, we pray for your world. Forgive us when we are ungrateful when spiritual blindness prevents us from appreciating the wonder of your creation and the endless cycle of nature. Forgive us for taking without giving; reaping without sowing. We pray for the farmers of the world many of whom still use those methods described by Jesus and we especially pray that they may be treated with fairness for their labours. We especially remember those who work with the land here in the Costa Blanca suffering so badly from climate change.
Lord in your mercy: hear our prayer.
Father God, we thank you for the love we share with our families and our friends. We recognise that they may have faults and they love us in spite of ours. Help us to be flexible and adaptable in all of our relationships and also capable of accepting constructive criticism.
Lord in your mercy: hear our prayer.
Loving God and Lord of life, we pray for the gift of courage to face up to and cope with illness especially during the Covid-19 Pandemic. We pray for it for ourselves, and for those who we now name before you …….
We thank you for those who through their courage have come through illness and for those facing the reality that there is little light at the end of their earthly tunnel. (add names of those requesting prayer)
Lord in your mercy: hear our prayer.
Gracious God, give us ears to hear and minds to understand the message of immortality for the children of your kingdom so that we may look forward with patience and confidence to that time when we will join you in the peace of eternity. We especially pray for any we know who have recently died and are on that journey to you. (add names of the recently departed or on Anniversary list)
Lord in your mercy: hear our prayer.
Faithful God, we thank you for the opportunity of being together in prayer. As we look forward to the week to come, we pray for an awareness of your love and support in all we do.
Merciful Father: Accept these prayers for the sake of your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen
Thanks to the Costa Blanca Anglican Chaplaincy for sharing their prayers for this Sunday