11 June 2023
10:00 | 
Posted by
Dr Platts |
The sun had disappeared this morning, and there were a few spots of rain. However Summer was inside the church with the beautiful flowers.
Today is Corpus Christi or the Thanksgiving for Holy Communion. This was reflected in the hymns we sang (mostly Communion hymns) and the readings which all referenced bread and wine. The choir sang "Ave Verum Corpus" by Charles Gounod, more information on the music blog.
Fr Chris also preached on the meaning of Corpus Christi - the Body of Christ. It invites us to ponder the power of the gift given to us by Christ on the eve of his passion. He remains with us in sacrament and word. But it remains a mystery, likehe Holy Trinity. We may overinterpret our participation as being deeply personal, but we cannot keep God to ouselves. It is not a private act as we are all the Body of Christ. At the end ofthe Eucharistic prayer we all say "Amen" - it is true, but we also say "Amen" to all that it means. Christ is the head of the church and we are all its members. It is a great mystery and we are invited to share and participate. Our responses are given in one voice. The Great Amen should be positively afirmed by everyone wholeheartedly. The celebration of the Eucharist is trinitarian, we pray to God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. It reminds us that we are part of God's plan.
The children were missing from church at the start of the service, although we still had the candle lit to remind us that they were here. They were very busy in the church grounds building a "Bug Hotel" which now has a home underneath the yew tree in the car park. Do take a look at it and maybe in the weeks to come, it will become occupied.
Genesis 14:18-20
A reading from the book of Genesis.
And King Melchizedek of Salem brought out bread and wine;
he was priest of God Most High.
He blessed him and said,
"Blessed be Abram by God Most High, maker of heaven and earth;
and blessed be God Most High,
who has delivered your enemies into your hand!’
And Abram gave him one-tenth of everything.
1 Corinthians 11:23-26
A reading from the first letter of Paul to the Corinthians.
For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you,
that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took a loaf of bread,
and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said,
‘This is my body that is for you.
Do this in remembrance of me.’
In the same way he took the cup also, after supper, saying,
‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood.
Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.’
For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup,
you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
John 6:51-58
Hear the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John.
Jesus said to the jews:
I am the living bread that came down from heaven.
Whoever eats of this bread will live for ever;
and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.’
The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying,
‘How can this man give us his flesh to eat?’
So Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly, I tell you,
unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood,
you have no life in you.
Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life,
and I will raise them up on the last day;
for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink.
Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me,
and I in them.
Just as the living Father sent me,
and I live because of the Father,
so whoever eats me will live because of me.
This is the bread that came down from heaven,
not like that which your ancestors ate, and they died.
But the one who eats this bread will live for ever.’
