Dearest friends,
When we think of Jesus as King I often wonder if we are missing a great deal of His teaching.
Jesus told us time and time again that He wasn’t the King that the Jewish people were expecting – coming with horses and chariots to free them from the rule of the Romans.
He entered Jerusalem in triumph on Palm Sunday not with horses and chariots – but on the back of a donkey.
So why then do we enthrone Him on this very special Sunday? Why do we show him upon a throne, decked out in regal attire and ruling over us as an earthly King?
The point of this elevation is to highlight Jesus as ‘Christ’ which in itself is a royal title meaning ‘King’ – although of course not in the way that the secular world understands (even Pilate misunderstands it when he called Jesus ‘King of the Jews’).
It is a way of understanding Jesus as King of Heaven and the world to come. He sits enthroned on David’s throne (Lk 1:30-32) as promised by the Angel Gabriel.
The feast today marks the end of Ordinary Time, next Sunday we begin Advent and the start of another liturgical year.
We end Ordinary Time on a high – with a Feast and a celebration of Jesus Kingship – and a reminder of what Jesus commands us to do in scripture.
Jesus commands us to feed the hungry to give drink to the thirsty, to clothe the naked, to harbour the harbourless, to visit the sick, to ransom the captive and to bury the dead.
How will you respond to Jesus command this advent?
Fr. Matthew
In love,
Fr. Matthew
Notices
Advent Carols
Please note the change of time for the Advent Carol service at St. Luke’s on the 30th November. We’ll now meet at 3pm, so that those who don’t like to drive in the dark can come along.
Clergy Conference
Fr. Matthew is at a required training conference in Walsingham this week (17th – 21st) so there’s a knock on for services. Fr. Christopher is covering the midweek mass at St. Luke’s and I encourage our St. John’s bothers and sisters to attend there instead.
Restoration work for bells
The bells at St. John’s will now be restored in the early part of next year.
Quiz Night
With Fish & Chips! Dcn David is back running his famous Quiz Night at St. Luke’s. It’s always a fun evening, with challenging questions and lots of conversations. Teams of four people please. 7pm
Sunday 16th November
33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time 🟢
9am – Sung Parish Mass [SJ]
11:15am – Sung Parish Mas [SL]
6pm – Evensong [SJ]
Divine Office Psalter Week 1, C(I),
2 before Advent, Proper 28
Upcoming Dates
November
15th – Table Top Sale, 10am [WH]
Quiz Night with Fish & Chips, St. Luke’s, 7pm
22nd – Christmas Lights Turn On, stalls at both events
27th – Advent Course, 1st lecture, 7pm, [WH]
30th – Joint Mass, St. Luke’s, 11am [SL]
Advent Carols, 3pm [SL]
December
7th – Explorers & Christingle, 3-5pm [SC]
13th – Bay Brass Band Concert, 7pm [SL]
20th – 9 Lessons & Carols, 6pm, both churches
21st – Christingle & Crib Service, 3-5pm [SL]
Solemn Evensong with Benediction, 7pm [SJ]
24th – Live Nativity, 4pm [SJ]
Midnight Mass, 8pm [SJ]
Midnight Mass, 11:30pm [SL]
25th – Christmas Day Mass, 10am [SL & SJ]
St. Luke’s Men’s Group meets every Friday for mass at 10am and discussion afterwards. [SL]
Table Top Sale at Wickham Hall every 3rd Saturday at 10am.
St. Luke’s Women’s Group meets first Wednesday of every month.
[SJ] St. John’s | [SL] St. Luke’s | [WH] Wickham Hall
[SC] St. Catherine’s School