Sabbath
Rest and worship.
I was very moved by Bishop Jonathan’s sermon last Sunday
(Compassion to the Core – listen/watch/read again in the Sermons & Teaching section of our website)
In it he drew a connection between our sabbath day – rest – and worship. I had never considered our sabbath day to be anything other than one of rest.
When I think of rest I think of quiet afternoons in the garden with a cold drink and a good book – perhaps a bbq… but I don’t often think of worship.
Bishop Jonathan drew our attention to the intention of rest in the Sabbath in saying:
“We all need those times of rest and refreshment and renewal when we can take a little time out from our usual everyday routines and concerns. Rest is of course, at the heart of God’s purposes for his creation.”
But he also reminded us that our sabbath day of rest is also one of worship:
“Every single Sunday. We know it is a day of rest. But first, the priority, of course, is that it is a day of worship. It is a day of our celebration of the Eucharist, the mass.”
It was a stark reminder that in resting we are never on our own, but walk with God alongside us.
And so this week – as I head for some (I hope) well deserved rest and relaxation, I will continue to offer myself to God in that rest and in that peace.
Perhaps re-discovering and re-connecting with God in that peace.
I encourage you to do the same over the coming two weeks when there appears to be a ‘rest’ in our mid-week worship. Use this time to find peace and rest, to reconnect and reach out to God.
Fr. Matthew
Other news
A big thank you to Fr. Nigel Palmer who is kindly covering the parish mass on Sunday 1st August. We are very grateful for his service and I know he will be given a big St. Anselm welcome.
Fr. Matthew is on holiday for two weeks from Monday 26th July to Saturday 7th August. In an emergency you can contact him via the numbers published on the front of the pew sheet and he can put you in touch with a Priest locally.
There will be a bric-a-brac sale on Saturday 31st July at the front of church – if you have anything that would help raise funds please bring it on the day. 10am – 1pm.
No mid-week services for the next two weeks.