On 14 December Fr Dominic, the Choir together with members of the Healing Team from St Mary's visited the Glastonbury Care Home for their Christmas Carol Service.
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St Mary's held their Christmas Bazaar on Sunday 10 December. There were mince pies and mulled wine available and an opportunity to purchase a special gift for Christmas on one of the many stalls. There were raffles and games and the annual Christmas Draw. Also cakes for sale lovingly made.
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We light our second candle. Last week represented hope, this week represents love. All the candles of course represent the light of Christ coming into the world.
Now we actually have no idea what day Jesus was born on. But the reason why we celebrate the birth of Christ in December is because it’s at the time of the shortest day. It is to remind us that Jesus is the true sun who brings light into the world.
Each year, the second and the third Sundays in Advent centre on John the Baptist, reminding us that if we want to prepare well for the birth of Jesus then we need to listen to John’s message. He actually fulfils the message of the prophet Isaiah all those years before when he speaks of a voice that cries in out in the wilderness.
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Today is the first Sunday of Advent. It’s a time of waiting and anticipation as we await the birth of our saviour as a tiny baby in a manger in a stable on the 25th December.
As you know Jesus was not necessarily born at that time or in that month. Also we know that in Roman times one of the Emperors designated 25th December as a feast of the Sun God because it is around that time that we have the shortest day of the year and the longest night. (Which is actually 21st December I think which is less than 3 weeks away)
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Today is youth Sunday. We are reminded of how precious young people are in the eyes of God. We have a duty and a responsibility to lead them to the truth. How we speak and relate to them affects them for the rest of their lives.
Next Sunday is the first week of Advent and today is the feast of Christ the King reminding us that Jesus is the king of the universe.
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Last week we had the bridesmaids who didn’t know when the bridegroom was going to arrive and today we have this parable of the servants who don’t know when the master will return from abroad and he has given each of them some talents while he is away.
A talent is in fact a weight. A Roman talent is about 35 Kg we are not told if it is silver or gold but if it was of Gold then that’s getting on for towards £2 million in today’s money. So it’s a lot of money!
And of course it is where we get our word Talent from in relation to natural gifts that we each possess.
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Today is the parable that compares entering the kingdom of heaven with ten bridesmaids and their lamps who went out to meet the bridegroom.
Today when a wedding is organised the invites go out in advance giving clear details about the date, venue and where the reception will be. Even what presents to buy!
But back then in Palestine for 1st century Jews weddings would go on for 7 days. Invites would go out but with no dates or times given until everything is prepared then the word would go out. The bridesmaids would wait with the bride for the groom and, upon his appearance, would accompany him in procession to the celebrations.
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Today we hear Jesus speaking about the scribes and the Pharisees. The Pharisees strived to lead the religious life of purity and encourage others. The Scribes interpreted the Torah – the Jewish Law – and explained it.
Jesus upholds this. He reminds us that they sit in the chair of Moses. Jesus recognises this. He isn't an enemy of the law, but we hear that he says don't imitate them. Because they tie up heavy burdens which are hard to carry and lay them on people’s shoulders but will not lift a finger to remove them. Basically, they don't practice what they preach.
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Today we commemorate all the saints in heaven. Hopefully that includes all our relatives and friends who have gone before us.
It is said that: "The only real sadness, the only real failure and the only great tragedy in life, is not to become a saint."
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Today’s Gospel is set in the last week of the life of Jesus. It is Tuesday of Holy week 3 days before he is crucified. We are still in the Temple in Jerusalem.
The Pharisees had heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees the day before with the Roman coin and so ask Jesus another question. Not because they genuinely wanted to know the answer of course, but to try and catch him out.
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On 24th October we had an extremely interesting talk on Blessed Abbot Richard Whiting the last Abbot of Glastonbury given by Dr Tim Hopkinson-Ball.
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This is the final few days before Jesus is arrested by the chief priests and the elders. Jerusalem was full with thousands of pilgrims because the feast of the Passover was near and Jesus had just turned over the stalls of the money changers in an effort to stop them turning the temple into a market place.
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So you may have seen the film about the wrong trousers – well this is the parable of the wrong wedding garment! We have had various parables about vineyards but today it is about a banquet and again it is Jesus explaining what the kingdom of heaven is like.
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The hills of Galilee had many vineyards and it was common for the owners of these vineyards to rent them out. Normally up to 50% return of produce in terms of grapes was expected from any tenants as payment. So the parable that Jesus is telling about a landowner and his tenants would have been familiar to his audience.
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