Join us this Saturday, 9th May, for an opportunity to hear and reflect on two very powerful Scripture passages – passages that we would have encountered in more normal times at mass this weekend. The message in both of them has a particular resonance for the LGBT+ community.
The first reading this week is from 1 Peter 2:4-9 and, for me, it contains some of the most beautiful and encouraging passages in the whole of the Bible. Jesus “is the living stone, rejected by humanity but chosen by God and precious to him”. We can look at this Jesus who was rejected; this Jesus who, time and again, opened his heart to those society rejected. We can hear his invitation to each of us to become living stones who together build his spiritual house, the Church.
“The Lord is the living stone, rejected by people but chosen by God and precious to him; set yourselves close to him so that you too, the holy priesthood that offers the spiritual sacrifices which Jesus Christ has made acceptable to God, may be living stones making a spiritual house.”
The gospel reading is from John 14 and, in this passage, Jesus tells his followers that there are many rooms in his Father’s house and that he is “going to prepare a place for you”. We will have the chance to silently reflect on these words of Jesus. As his followers too, we can imagine him speaking these words directly to each of us, to all of us. How does it feel to know that Jesus has prepared a place for you in God’s house?
“There are many rooms in my Father’s house; if there were not, I should have told you. I am going now to prepare a place for you, and after I have gone and prepared you a place, I shall return to take you with me; so that where I am you may be too.”
After the time of reflection, there will be, once again, an opportunity for each of us to briefly talk about something that touched us in the readings, or something that is going on in our lives at the moment. This time of sharing has been one of the most powerful moments in our previous online services.
We will be gathering online this Saturday at 7.00 pm. If you are interested in taking part, via Zoom, please register (but only if you haven’t registered for any of our recent online liturgies).
