01 February 2026
10:30 | 
Posted by
Dr Platts |
Malachi 3:1-5
A reading from the book of the prophet Malachi.
Thus says the Lord God:
See, I am sending my messenger
to prepare the way before me,
and the Lord whom you seek
will suddenly come to his temple.
The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight—
indeed, he is coming,
says the Lord of hosts.
But who can endure the day of his coming,
and who can stand when he appears?
For he is like a refiner’s fire and like washers’ soap;
he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver,
and he will purify the descendants of Levi
and refine them like gold and silver,
until they present offerings to the Lord in righteousness.
Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem
will be pleasing to the Lord,
as in the days of old and as in former years.
Then I will draw near to you for judgment;
I will be swift to bear witness against the sorcerers,
against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely,
against those who oppress the hired workers in their wages,
the widow, and the orphan,
against those who thrust aside the alien
and do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts.
Hebrews 2:14-18
A reading from the letter to the Hebrews.
Since the children share flesh and blood,
Jesus himself likewise shared the same things,
so that through death
he might destroy the one who has the power of death,
that is, the devil,
and free those who all their lives were held in slavery
by the fear of death.
For it is clear that he did not come to help angels
but the descendants of Abraham.
Therefore he had to become like his brothers and sisters
in every respect,
so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest
in the service of God,
to make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people.
Because he himself was tested by what he suffered,
he is able to help those who are being tested.
Luke 2:22-40
Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.
When the time came for their purification
according to the law of Moses,
they brought him up to Jerusalem
to present him to the Lord
(as it is written in the law of the Lord,
“Every firstborn male shall be designated as holy to the Lord”),
and they offered a sacrifice
according to what is stated in the law of the Lord,
“a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”
Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon;
this man was righteous and devout,
looking forward to the consolation of Israel,
and the Holy Spirit rested on him.
It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit
that he would not see death
before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.
Guided by the Spirit, Simeon came into the temple,
and when the parents brought in the child Jesus
to do for him what was customary under the law,
Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying,
“Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace,
according to your word,
for my eyes have seen your salvation,
which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
a light for revelation to the gentiles
and for glory to your people Israel.”
And the child’s father and mother
were amazed at what was being said about him.
Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary,
“This child is destined
for the falling and the rising of many in Israel
and to be a sign that will be opposed
so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—
and a sword will pierce your own soul, too.”
There was also a prophet, Anna
the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher.
She was of a great age,
having lived with her husband seven years after her marriage,
then as a widow to the age of eighty-four.
She never left the temple
but worshiped there with fasting and prayer night and day.
At that moment she came and began to praise God
and to speak about the child
to all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.
When they had finished everything
required by the law of the Lord,
they returned to Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth.
The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom,
and the favor of God was upon him.
25 January 2026
A cold and unwelcoming day outside but not in St Mary's. Fr Chris was busy elsewhere on his other duties so we had the pleasure of Fr Roger conducting our morning service today. His homily pointed out the vagaries of the readings at this time of the year with things happening out of sequence. The children were busy with nets of fish as Our Lord's first deciples were fishermen, hard working and used to adversary as Fr Roger said.
Lots of folk afterwards in the rooms for chat and tea and coffee. All are welcome.
A reading form the book of the prophet Isaiah.
There will be no gloom for those who were in anguish.
In the former time he brought into contempt
the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
but in the latter time he will make glorious
the way of the sea,
the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.
The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who lived in a land of deep darkness—
on them light has shined.
You have multiplied exultation;
you have increased its joy;
they rejoice before you
as with joy at the harvest,
as people exult when dividing plunder.
For the yoke of their burden
and the bar across their shoulders,
the rod of their oppressor,
you have broken as on the day of Midian.
1 Corinthians 1:10-18
A reading from the first letter of Paul to the Corinthians.
I appeal to you, brothers and sisters,
by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
that all of you be in agreement
and that there be no divisions among you
but that you be knit together in the same mind and the same purpose.
For it has been made clear to me by Chloe’s people
that there are quarrels among you, my brothers and sisters.
What I mean is that each of you says,
“I belong to Paul,”
or “I belong to Apollos,”
or “I belong to Cephas,”
or “I belong to Christ.”
Has Christ been divided?
Was Paul crucified for you?
Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?
I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius,
so that no one can say that you were baptized in my name.
I did baptize also the household of Stephanas;
beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.
For Christ did not send me to baptize
but to proclaim the gospel—
and not with eloquent wisdom,
so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its power.
For the message about the cross is foolishness
to those who are perishing,
but to us who are being saved
it is the power of God.
Matthew 4:12-23
Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew.
Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested,
he withdrew to Galilee.
He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the sea,
in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali,
so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:
“Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali,
on the road by the sea, across the Jordan, Galilee of the gentiles—
the people who sat in darkness
have seen a great light,
and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death
light has dawned.”
From that time Jesus began to proclaim,
“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”
As he walked by the Sea of Galilee,
he saw two brothers,
Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother,
casting a net into the lake—for they were fishers.
And he said to them,
“Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.”
Immediately they left their nets and followed him.
As he went from there, he saw two other brothers,
James son of Zebedee and his brother John,
in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets,
and he called them.
Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.
Jesus went throughout all Galilee,
teaching in their synagogues
and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom
and curing every disease and every sickness among the people.
18 January 2026
Isaiah 49:1-7
A reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah.
Listen to me, O coastlands;
pay attention, you peoples from far away!
The Lord called me before I was born;
while I was in my mother’s womb he named me.
He made my mouth like a sharp sword;
in the shadow of his hand he hid me;
he made me a polished arrow;
in his quiver he hid me away.
And he said to me, “You are my servant,
Israel, in whom I will be glorified.”
But I said, “I have labored in vain;
I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;
yet surely my cause is with the Lord
and my reward with my God.”
And now the Lord says,
who formed me in the womb to be his servant,
to bring Jacob back to him,
and that Israel might be gathered to him,
for I am honored in the sight of the Lord,
and my God has become my strength—
he says,
“It is too light a thing that you should be my servant
to raise up the tribes of Jacob
and to restore the survivors of Israel;
I will give you as a light to the nations,
that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”
Thus says the Lord,
the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One,
to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nations,
the slave of rulers,
“Kings shall see and stand up;
princes, and they shall prostrate themselves,
because of the Lord, who is faithful,
the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.”
1 Corinthians 1:1-9
A reading from the first letter of Paul to the Corinthians.
From Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus
by the will of God,
and our brother Sosthenes,
To the church of God that is in Corinth,
to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus,
called to be saints,
together with all those who in every place
call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
both their Lord and ours:
Grace to you and peace from God our Father
and the Lord Jesus Christ.
I give thanks to my God always for you
because of the grace of God that has been given you in Christ Jesus,
for in every way you have been enriched in him,
in speech and knowledge of every kind—
just as the testimony of Christ has been strengthened among you—
so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift
as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ.
He will also strengthen you to the end,
so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
God is faithful,
by whom you were called
into the partnership of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
John 1:29-42
Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.
John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him
and declared,
“Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
This is he of whom I said,
‘After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me
because he was before me.’
I myself did not know him,
but I came baptizing with water for this reason,
that he might be revealed to Israel.”
And John testified,
“I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove,
and it remained on him.
I myself did not know him,
but the one who sent me to baptize with water said to me,
‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain
is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’
And I myself have seen and have testified
that this is the Chosen One.”
The next day John again was standing with two of his disciples,
and as he watched Jesus walk by he exclaimed,
“Look, here is the Lamb of God!”
The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus.
When Jesus turned and saw them following, he said to them,
“What are you looking for?”
They said to him, “Rabbi”
(which translated means Teacher),
“where are you staying?”
He said to them, “Come and see.”
They came and saw where he was staying,
and they remained with him that day.
It was about four o’clock in the afternoon.
One of the two who heard John speak and followed him was Andrew,
Simon Peter’s brother.
He first found his brother Simon and said to him,
“We have found the Messiah”
(which is translated Anointed).
He brought Simon to Jesus, who looked at him and said,
“You are Simon son of John.
You are to be called Cephas”
(which is translated Peter).
11 January 2026
Isaiah 42:1-9
A reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah.
Thus says the Lord:
Here is my servant, whom I uphold,
my chosen, in whom my soul delights;
I have put my spirit upon him;
he will bring forth justice to the nations.
He will not cry out or lift up his voice
or make it heard in the street;
a bruised reed he will not break,
and a dimly burning wick he will not quench;
he will faithfully bring forth justice.
He will not grow faint or be crushed
until he has established justice in the earth,
and the coastlands wait for his teaching.
Thus says God, the Lord,
who created the heavens and stretched them out,
who spread out the earth and what comes from it,
who gives breath to the people upon it
and spirit to those who walk in it:
I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness;
I have taken you by the hand and kept you;
I have given you as a covenant to the people,
a light to the nations,
to open the eyes that are blind,
to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon,
from the prison those who sit in darkness.
I am the Lord; that is my name;
my glory I give to no other,
nor my praise to idols.
See, the former things have come to pass,
and new things I now declare;
before they spring forth, I tell you of them.
Acts 10:34-43
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles.
Peter began to speak to those assembled:
in the house of Cornelius.
“I truly understand that God shows no partiality,
but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right
is acceptable to him.
You know the message he sent to the people of Israel,
preaching peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all.
That message spread throughout Judea,
beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced:
how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth
with the Holy Spirit and with power;
how he went about doing good
and healing all who were oppressed by the devil,
for God was with him.
We are witnesses to all that he did
both in Judea and in Jerusalem.
They put him to death by hanging him on a tree,
but God raised him on the third day
and allowed him to appear,
not to all the people
but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses
and who ate and drank with him after
he rose from the dead.
He commanded us to preach to the people
and to testify that he is the one ordained by God
as judge of the living and the dead.
All the prophets testify about him
that everyone who believes in him
receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”
Matthew 3:13-17
Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew.
Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan,
to be baptized by him.
John would have prevented him, saying,
“I need to be baptized by you,
and do you come to me?”
But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now,
for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness.”
Then he consented.
And when Jesus had been baptized,
just as he came up from the water,
suddenly the heavens were opened to him
and he saw God’s Spirit descending like a dove
and alighting on him.
And a voice from the heavens said,
“This is my Son, the Beloved,
with whom I am well pleased.”
04 January 2026
Isaiah 60:1-6
A reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah.
Arise, shine, for your light has come,
and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
For darkness shall cover the earth
and thick darkness the peoples,
but the Lord will arise upon you,
and his glory will appear over you.
Nations shall come to your light
and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
Lift up your eyes and look around;
they all gather together; they come to you;
your sons shall come from far away,
and your daughters shall be carried in their nurses’ arms.
Then you shall see and be radiant;
your heart shall thrill and rejoice,
because the abundance of the sea shall be brought to you;
the wealth of the nations shall come to you.
A multitude of camels shall cover you,
the young camels of Midian and Ephah;
all those from Sheba shall come.
They shall bring gold and frankincense
and shall proclaim the praise of the Lord.
Ephesians 3:1-12
A reading from the letter of Paul to the Ephesians.
I, Paul, am a prisoner for Christ Jesus
for the sake of you gentiles,
for surely you have already heard
of the commission of God’s grace that was given me for you
and how the mystery was made known to me by revelation,
as I wrote above in a few words,
a reading of which will enable you
to perceive my understanding of the mystery of Christ.
In former generations
this mystery was not made known to humankind,
as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets
by the Spirit:
that is, the gentiles have become fellow heirs,
members of the same body,
and sharers in the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
Of this gospel I have become a servant
according to the gift of God’s grace
that was given me by the working of his power.
Although I am the very least of all the saints,
this grace was given to me
to bring to the gentiles
the news of the boundless riches of Christ
and to make everyone see
what is the plan of the mystery
hidden for ages in God, who created all things
so that through the church
the wisdom of God in its rich variety
might now be made known
to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.
This was in accordance with the eternal purpose
that he has carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord,
in whom we have access to God
in boldness and confidence through faith in him.
Matthew 2:1-12
Hear the gospel of out Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew.
In the time of King Herod,
after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea,
wise m from the east came to Jerusalem,
asking, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews?
For we observed his star at its rising
and have come to pay him homage.”
When King Herod heard this, he was frightened,
and all Jerusalem with him,
and calling together
all the chief priests and scribes of the people,
he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born.
They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea,
for so it has been written by the prophet:
‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah,
for from you shall come a ruler
who is to shepherd my people Israel.’ ”
Then Herod secretly called for the wise men
and learned from them the exact time
when the star had appeared.
Then he sent them to Bethlehem, saying,
“Go and search diligently for the child,
and when you have found him,
bring me word so that I may also go and pay him homage.”
When they had heard the king, they set out,
and there, ahead of them,
went the star that they had seen at its rising,
until it stopped over the place where the child was.
When they saw that the star had stopped,
they were overwhelmed with joy.
On entering the house,
they saw the child with Mary his mother,
and they knelt down and paid him homage.
Then, opening their treasure chests,
they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod,
they left for their own country by another road.
28 December 2025
Isaiah 63:7-9
A reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah.
I will recount the gracious deeds of the Lord,
the praiseworthy acts of the Lord,
because of all that the Lord has done for us
and the great favor to the house of Israel
that he has shown them according to his mercy,
according to the abundance of his steadfast love.
For he said, “Surely they are my people,
children who will not deal falsely,”
and he became their saviour in all their distress.
It was no messenger or angel
but his presence that saved them;
in his love and pity it was he who redeemed them;
he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.
Hebrews 2:10-18
A reading from the letter to the Hebrews.
It was fitting that God,
for whom and through whom all things exist,
in bringing many children to glory,
should make the pioneer of their salvation
perfect through sufferings.
For the one who sanctifies
and those who are sanctified all have one Father.
For this reason
Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters, saying,
“I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters;
in the midst of the congregation I will praise you.”
And again,
“I will put my trust in him.”
And again,“Here am I
and the children whom God has given me.”
Since, therefore, the children share flesh and blood,
he himself likewise shared the same things,
so that through death
he might destroy the one who has the power of death,
that is, the devil,
and free those who all their lives were held in slavery
by the fear of death.
For it is clear that he did not come to help angels
but the descendants of Abraham.
Therefore he had to become like his brothers and sisters
in every respect,
so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest
in the service of God,
to make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people.
Because he himself was tested by what he suffered,
he is able to help those who are being tested.
Matthew 2:13-23
Hear the gosel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew.
After the wise men had left,
an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said,
“Get up, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt,
and remain there until I tell you,
for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.”
Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother by night,
and went to Egypt
and remained there until the death of Herod.
This was to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet,
“Out of Egypt I have called my son.”
When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the wise men,
he was infuriated,
and he sent and killed all the children in and around Bethlehem
who were two years old or under,
according to the time that he had learned from the wise men.
Then what had been spoken
through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:
“A voice was heard in Ramah,
wailing and loud lamentation,
Rachel weeping for her children;
she refused to be consoled, because they are no more.”
When Herod died, an angel of the Lord suddenly appeared
in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said,
“Get up, take the child and his mother,
and go to the land of Israel,
for those who were seeking the child’s life are dead.”
Then Joseph got up, took the child and his mother,
and went to the land of Israel.
But when he heard that Archelaus was ruling Judea
in place of his father Herod,
he was afraid to go there.
And after being warned in a dream,
he went away to the district of Galilee.
There he made his home in a town called Nazareth,
so that what had been spoken through the prophets
might be fulfilled,
“He will be called a Nazarene.”
25 December 2025
Isaiah 9:1-7
A reading from the book of the prophet Isaiah.
But there will be no gloom for those who were in anguish.
In the former time he brought into contempt
the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
but in the latter time he will make glorious the way of the sea,
the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.
The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who lived in a land of deep darkness—
on them light has shined.
You have multiplied exultation;
you have increased its joy;
they rejoice before you
as with joy at the harvest,
as people exult when dividing plunder.
For the yoke of their burden
and the bar across their shoulders,
the rod of their oppressor,
you have broken as on the day of Midian.
For all the boots of the tramping warriors
and all the garments rolled in blood
shall be burned as fuel for the fire.
For a child has been born for us,
a son given to us;
authority rests upon his shoulders,
and he is named
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Great will be his authority,
and there shall be endless peace
for the throne of David and his kingdom.
He will establish and uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time onward and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
Titus 2:11-14
A reading from the letter of Paul to Titus.
The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all,
training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions
and in the present age to live lives
that are self-controlled, upright, and godly,
while we wait for the blessed hope
and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior,
Jesus Christ.
He it is who gave himself for us
that he might redeem us from all iniquity
and purify for himself a people of his own
who are zealous for good deeds.
Luke 2:8-20
Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Luke.
In that region there were shepherds living in the fields,
keeping watch over their flock by night.
Then an angel of the Lord stood before them,
and the glory of the Lord shone around them,
and they were terrified.
But the angel said to them,
“Do not be afraid, for see,
I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people:
to you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour,
who is the Messiah, the Lord.
This will be a sign for you:
you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth
and lying in a manger.”
And suddenly there was with the angel
a multitude of the heavenly host,
praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace among those whom he favours!”
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven,
the shepherds said to one another,
“Let us go now to Bethlehem
and see this thing that has taken place,
which the Lord has made known to us.”
So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph
and the child lying in the manger.
When they saw this,
they made known what had been told them about this child,
and all who heard it were amazed
at what the shepherds told them,
and Mary treasured all these words
and pondered them in her heart.
The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God
for all they had heard and seen,
just as it had been told them.
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