25th May: Easter 6
online Morning Prayer.
Acts 16:9-15
As Paul continues his journeys preaching about Jesus, he feels called to travel to Macedonia, and Luke joins him. Lydia, a wealthy God-fearing business woman is converted.
During the night Paul had a vision: there stood a man of Macedonia pleading with him and saying, ‘Come over to Macedonia and help us.’ When he had seen the vision, we immediately tried to cross over to Macedonia, being convinced that God had called us to proclaim the good news to them.
We set sail from Troas and took a straight course to Samothrace, the following day to Neapolis, and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city for some days. On the sabbath day we went outside the gate by the river, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and spoke to the women who had gathered there. A certain woman named Lydia, a worshipper of God, was listening to us; she was from the city of Thyatira and a dealer in purple cloth. The Lord opened her heart to listen eagerly to what was said by Paul. When she and her household were baptized, she urged us, saying, ‘If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my home.’ And she prevailed upon us.
John 14:23-29
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; and the word that you hear is not mine, but is from the Father who sent me.
‘I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. You heard me say to you, “I am going away, and I am coming to you.” If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you this before it occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe.’
Something to think about
Continuing his ‘farewell discourses’ to his disciples, Jesus spoke to the disciples at the Last Supper, of the coming of God’s gift of the Holy Spirit to them. The Holy Spirit would be their Advocate, in Greek, ‘Paracletos’. In the law court, the advocate supported the plaintiff acting as a witness on his behalf.
Collect
Risen Christ, by the lakeside you renewed your call to your disciples:
help your Church to obey your command
and draw the nations to the fire of your love,
to the glory of God the Father.
Post Communion
God our Father,
whose Son Jesus Christ gives the water of eternal life:
may we thirst for you, the spring of life and source of goodness,
through him who is alive and reigns, now and for ever.
Next Sunday’s (1st) Readings:
Acts 16:16-34
John 17:20-26
Please remember in your prayers this week:
Those who are sick or suffering, including Tim Sadler, Linda Torr, Margaret Marsden and Nadia, or very elderly, especially Arthur Williams.
The recently bereaved.
Areas of conflict: the Ukraine, the Middle East and too many others.
Our local churches, as they face up to the problems of the future, such as the interregnum.
Our Ministry Team: Maggie, Nigel & Lynda and her support: Simon.