18th Sunday C

The following are prayerful resources rather than a liturgy.

  • The gospel for the day
    (a useful commentary on the reading         here)
  • Some optional questions for reflection
  • Prayers of Intercession
  • Cluster Prayer
  • The gospel of the week ahead with questions

Luke 12: 13-21 This hoard of yours, whose will it be?


A man in the crowd said to Jesus,

‘Master, tell my brother to give me a share of our inheritance.’

‘My friend,’ he replied, ‘who appointed me your judge,

or the arbitrator of your claims?’

Then he said to them,

‘Watch, and be on your guard against avarice of any kind,

for a man’s life is not made secure by what he owns,

even when he has more than he needs.’


Then he told them a parable:

‘There was once a rich man who, having had a good harvest from his land,

thought to himself,

“What am I to do? I have not enough room to store my crops.”

Then he said, “This is what I will do:

I will pull down my barns and build bigger ones,

and store all my grain and my goods in them,

and I will say to my soul:

My soul, you have plenty of good things laid by for many years to come;

take things easy, eat, drink, have a good time.”

But God said to him,

“Fool! This very night the demand will be made for your soul;

and this hoard of yours, whose will it be then?”

So it is when a man stores up treasure for himself

in place of making himself rich in the sight of God.

This is the gospel of the Lord

Copyright © 1996-2021 Universalis Publishing Limited: see www.universalis.com.

Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible are published and copyright © 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd and Doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc.

Text of the Psalms: Copyright © 1963, The Grail (England). All rights reserved.

Having used our prayer resources, you might want simply to reflect yourself on them and how that might flow into your coming week. Some people have found it very helpful to meet with others and share their thoughts.
If you are interested  in joining a small group to share your thoughts and feelings about God's Word from any of the resources you have watched please email us.         cluster.alpha@outlook.com

Questions for reflection (framed for a group discussion)

Our world, our homes are full of stuff - some stuff we need, a lot we never use...

One area - clothes... Look out the stuff you've never worn for years; bag it and give it to a charity shop.

One idea - "one in, one out"... if you're replacing anything over £100,

make sure the old one leaves the house, preferably recycled in some way.

  1. Have you ever "fallen out" with family/friends over possessions? What have you learned from it?
  2. When have you felt that possessions were becoming too important in your life?

Prayers of Intercession


In today’s gospel we are encouraged to grow in faith and love of God and share what we have … to look to God for security, not to  material wealth and possessions.

May we, the people of our cluster have a deep desire to grow in faith and love of God by loving our neighbour and ourselves and seeking out and supporting those most in need in our midst.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

 

For world leaders, grant them integrity and common sense in dealing with global issues such as climate change, nuclear weapons, human trafficking and immigration policies. May they seek the common good of all and put self interest and gratification aside.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

 

For the Church, the body of Christ throughout the world,

that we may be effective signs of the presence of Christ in the world

and bring love to those who feel unloved,

hope to those who live in fear

and restore faith to those whose faith in humanity has been destroyed.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

 

For young people  as they grow and develop in an unsteady and confusing world.

May they find faith in the midst of chaos.

Grant them loving and wise parents, guardians and friends

who will inspire them to seek fulfilment in lasting values, to care for creation,

to be peacemakers and guide them in the way of truth. and avoid consumerism.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

 

For all who are in need, victims of war and natural disasters.

Grant that those who are committed to their service, may never grow weary or be discouraged but work tirelessly for justice and peace, globally and locally.

Open our hearts in generosity that we may be partners in their commitment to bring relief. Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.

 

For all who are unwell in body, mind or spirit, at home or in hospital and those named in our Prayer Foundation.

We thank God for all who lovingly and tirelessly care for them.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.


For those who have died recently:Alex Cameron, Marciana Sebastian, Sr. May Lewis, Inge Downie and Stephen Clarke. May they enjoy eternal peace.

Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.



Let us all pray together our Cluster Missionary Prayer:

Prayer to be Missionary Disciples

Picture of Jesus at door

Lord continue to bless our community
in this time of transition.
Help us on our journey
to grow from a maintenance church
to a missionary church.
Give us the courage
to be missionary disciples.
Make our doors wide enough
to receive all who need
human love and fellowship;
narrow enough to shut out
all envy, pride and prejudice.
Kindle in us the fire of your love
that all who come here
will find joy, peace and love.
Make this a house of prayer
and a gateway to your kingdom.
AMEN

Preparing for next week -  19th Sunday of the Year C

Luke 12: 32-48 You too must stand ready.

Jesus said to his disciples:

‘There is no need to be afraid, little flock,

for it has pleased your Father to give you the kingdom.
‘Sell your possessions and give alms.

Get yourselves purses that do not wear out, treasure that will not fail you,

in heaven where no thief can reach it and no moth destroy it.

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.


‘See that you are dressed for action and have your lamps lit.

Be like men waiting for their master to return from the wedding feast,

ready to open the door as soon as he comes and knocks.

Happy those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes.

I tell you solemnly, he will put on an apron,

sit them down at table and wait on them.

It may be in the second watch he comes, or in the third,

but happy those servants if he finds them ready.

You may be quite sure of this,

that if the householder had known at what hour the burglar would come,

he would not have let anyone break through the wall of his house.

You too must stand ready,

because the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.’


Peter said, ‘Lord, do you mean this parable for us, or for everyone?’

The Lord replied, ‘What sort of steward, then, is faithful and wise enough

for the master to place him over his household

to give them their allowance of food at the proper time?

Happy that servant if his master’s arrival finds him at this employment.

I tell you truly, he will place him over everything he owns.

But as for the servant who says to himself,

“My master is taking his time coming,”

and sets about beating the menservants and the maids,

and eating and drinking and getting drunk,

his master will come on a day he does not expect

and at an hour he does not know.

The master will cut him off and send him to the same fate as the unfaithful.


The servant who knows what his master wants,

but has not even started to carry out those wishes,

will receive very many strokes of the lash.

The one who did not know, but deserves to be beaten for what he has done,

will receive fewer strokes.

When a man has had a great deal given him,

a great deal will be demanded of him;

when a man has had a great deal given him on trust,

even more will be expected of him.’

This is the gospel of the Lord.

Copyright © 1996-2021 Universalis Publishing Limited: see www.universalis.com.

Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible are published and copyright © 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton, Longman & Todd, Ltd and Doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc.

Text of the Psalms: Copyright © 1963, The Grail (England). All rights reserved

Questions for reflection (framed for a group discussion)

We who have learned about the message of Jesus in the gospels carry a greater responsibility

than those who only know Jesus as a figure of the past - or even as an expletive...

This should not give us cause for fear but of hope - the kind of anticipation we have experienced as we were waiting for a friend to appear before going to the cinema, a game, a meal...

  1. Have you ever put off something because you hoped that there would be time enough later?
    What happened when you ran out of time?
  2.  Other than Jesus, which of the ancestors of Christian faith has served as the greatest example to you? Why?